Outcast: Chronicles of a lost writer
by Benji Himura
Summary: A freaky accident sends a normal man to a world where demons are real. Not knowing the language of the country and not able to fight the demons how he will survive?
1. Prologue

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Prologue.

Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil January 27, 2005

I open my eyes not much happy in leaving my nice and comfortable dreams. But the brightness of my room doesn't let me sleep. I found one of my bandanas on the floor next to me as it has been by the past week. I consider in using that bandana again as a blindfold. I grab it but I give up on sleeping. I sit in floor. My room is too hot. I even folded my futon to sleep in the bare wood floor to avoid the intense heat of the Brazilian summer. I toss my sheet over the folded futon. I tie the bandana around my neck to use it later. I run my fingers by my hair. As usual it is a tangled mess. Since I cutted it few months ago I wake with my hair looking like some horrible mess. Always happened when I let my hair short. I grab a clean white t-shirt and open the door and move to the bathroom. I finish putting on the shirt and I grab a brush and begin to tame my hair in a less troublesome style. I look in the mirror. I need to shave again. Have been two weeks. I brush my free hand against my chin. I am Benji Himura. I am an average Brazilian man. I have twenty one years old. My mother is half Japanese and half Brazilian. My father is part Arab and part Brazilian. I am tall and well build. I have a natural tan that I acquired living under the tropical sun for twenty one years. My black hair reaches the base of my neck. I have light brown hair and an attractive face. At least I like it. And my friends too. After comb my hair I tie the bandana over it. Is too hot and I know that in few hours that bandana will be soaked. I look to myself. With the white t-shirt and a dark blue shorts. I don't use pajamas. Just the shorts are good. A loud feline cry takes me from my thoughts. Lek a large black cat is waiting for the morning food. As I walk to the kitchen Merle, Lek's mother a large Siamese cat join the line. Spike the father of Lek is nowhere to be seen. But being a ninja cat as he is I am not surprised. I place food in the three plates belonging to the feline trio and get myself some water. As usual I don't wake up hungry. My body is still running with the last night late dinner. I move to the computer. My brother is dead in sleep as usual. He sleeps during the day and goes out in the night. A vampire as my family teases him. After turn the computer table to my I turn it on. Sadly my brother keeps the computer in his room. The living room is too bright. My room is too filled with my stuffs. Since he has a closet he can keep his things in there saving some space. I turn it on and put the volume in a lower level. As usual my brother leaves it in the max. After get online and check my e-mails I open the Word. I guess that I might work on my fics. Since I am still blocked in the I guess that I can work a bit so at least have some new chapters to my fics when I gain accesses again. But I am not on the mood of working on my old fics. I have the bad habit of get stuck in the story when it gets really interesting. I have dozens of ideas but putting then down is hard. I sigh loudly and my brother stirs turning in the bed. I am not in the mood to play an online game. My house doesn't have cable TV since the neighborhood is not on the access area so TV is out. Going to my grandmother don't sounds appealing to me. Is still too early to call my friends. And I am not willing to go out. At least a fall one week and a half ago gives me the excuse to stay in home. I slipped down the stairs when raining. Thanks to my martial arts training I managed to fall in a better way and decreasing the damage. But the momentum and the steps gave me a nasty cut on the ankle. The worse part is that in home we was lacking of gauzes or bandages. So my mother used an intimate absorbent as gauze and used some medical tape to hold it in the place. I saw that move in movie before. The worse part is that in the following morning I removed the improvised bandage only to found that it was soaking with blood. Since the cut is on a joint it takes time to heal. So I grab another absorbent and place it there again. Well now is closed and don't bleed more. The sound of my playlist fills the air. As usual is a small group of anime music. I careless surf on the net since I don't have much more to do. After one hour my zombie brother decides that the room is too hot and joins the cats in the living room carpet. I raise the volume of the music a bit. I can hear the workers repairing the post that was hitten last night by a truck. Luckily the power is back on. I work a bit in a couple of fics. They move slowly. Painfully slowly and to think that until few months ago I updated then every week. Sometimes even twice a week. I save my fics and stretch a bit. My back pops and I sigh with pleasure with that. I sigh and stare to the open cabinet of the computer. Two days ago the machine was so hot that was near of a meltdown. In response my brother opened the cabinet to allow more air to run. Is too hot and the air is hot. So the computer is not cooling. With a ventilator and the removed wall now he can. I look at the lights there listening to the songs of my playlist. I sing along the music. It is the opening theme of Sakura wars, Geki! Teikoku Kagekidan! I like that series. But sadly in Brazil is really hard to found a good anime to buy. I am pissed with the distributors from this country and they old fashioned mind that think that animation is only for kids. I am so pissed that I forgot to pay attention to my surrounding and the music. I barely notice when the music begun to get some odd spikes. The computer plaques are sparking with electricity. I rush to shut it down by the main line. Big mistake. A power surge runs thru the damaged street line hitting my computer and me. My last thought is that the computer hard drives survive this and me too.

Teito August seventh 1922

Sakura is hugging Kanna tightly, there is a heavy storm over the city. Iris is also hugging the tall Okinawan. Sumire looks at Sakura with a frown. "Your fear is absolutely stupid. We are inside a building." Sumire says with her voice dripping with venom. Ogami and Maria look at Sumire waiting that her comment would not trigger a fight. A lightning falls in the middle of the theater inner garden. Then the lights fade. Iris and Sakura let out scared cries hugging Kanna even tighter. Kohran looks at the garden from the recreation room window. "God it damaged the area and there is still electricity running thee!" Kohran says in shock. The others rush at the window seeing the damage. Trees are burning, the ground is burned and the grass is dead. At the faint dimming lights of the fire they see a large white spot on the garden. They run to the garden. They meet Ayame on the way. "We got a odd energy spike." Ayame says "Where?" Ogami asks "In the garden. We can't say that is from the enemy. But be careful." She says. The hanagumi nod moving to get they weapons.

In the garden (Benji point of view.)

I open my eyes feeling my entire body numb or sore. I can feel the cold wetness of the rain.

Rain? I was in home. Then I got shocked. I look around and see a half destroyed garden. The fire in few trees begins to die showing my clothes. A pair of jeans, a white shirt, a black bandana with crosses skulls on it, a black leather belt and a survival knife on my waist hold horizontally in my waist. Besides me there is the black boots of my brother. I put then one even with wet feet. Anything is better than walk on the mud. I look at the building around me before the fire dies. Or I am in an odd version of that garden of Dividead or I am in the theater or Sakura wars. How I got in here? More important how I go back? I hear voices talking in a small distance. They are familiar. Specially a certain husky voice and a cheerful one.

"Maria and Sakura."

I talk to myself. I can't understand then properly. They are talking in Japanese. And my Japanese is crude. My family says that I have talent to languages since I learned few things watching anime and I learned English pretty fast. At least to speak. Wait a minute. How I can be hearing Maria and Sakura? They are characters of a game and an anime. Well not adding the manga. Wild ideas run in my mind. But my instincts tell me to run away. And I do trust in my instincts. I don't know how I got in here. But I know that I will not be welcomed here. After all I appear out of the thin air and they are a secret military group. Certainly it is not a healthy match. I get up feeling numb. But not as much as before. I see a glean of light in a side. I know that they are coming to investigate the site. And it is not wise to stay here. I grab a couple of small rocks and toss then in a side far of where I am. Then I run to the opposite direction. Thankfully my ninjitsu training paid and I move in silence. But white shirt is not the best to hide in the dark. But as brown as it is now it will do better. I see a door and I sneak in it. Big mistake. An alarm sounds and the lights turn to me. Luckily I entered in the room before they could see me. I am in a large hall. But I don't know where to go. And the hanagumi was literally in home. And being in nine not counting the Kaede, Yoneda and the kazegumi, give then a hell of an advantage. I run thru the dark halls with the sound of the sirens loud on my ears. I hear people running after me. I hear then shouting at me. But I can't understand what they say. Now is another time that I curse the fact of leaving the Japanese classes when a kid. And this time it would save my life. Distracted I make the worse mistake that I could do. I acted like those girls in terror movies that run to the second floor of the house instead of leaving by the front door. In resume I am trapped. And the hanagumi notice it. I hear seven voices shouting. Is a good thing. At least Orihime and Reni aren't here. The hanagumi notice my mistake. A lightning cuts the sky showing my back to then. A strike of bad luck to me. Maria got a good target for a instant. And I know very well that it is more than enough to her. I toss myself in the floor in a roll. The bullet scrapes my right shoulder and I feel the burning pain run to my brain. I don't waste time to resume the run thanks to the training I haven't lost much ground to then. I hear Maria curse. By certain in Russian. Now I am screwed for good. She is pissed. I see a window and another lightning fall. But oddly this time I react when feeling a odd sensation. I toss the sheathed knife over Maria who was aiming at me. I didn't want to hurt her. Even that by now she must be trying to kill me. I hear two shots. The first hits me in the left shoulder piercing it cleanly but not leaving. The other barely miss my head but rips the bandana out from me and give me a small cut on the side of my head over the right ear. In the flash I can see then clearly and they can see me too since I turned to toss the knife. I see the revolver fall from her hand. The impact from the knife and the two shots was for sure more than she could take. I see anger on her green eyes. I break thru the wall and fall on the street using my ninja training to ease the fall. I continue to run and I hear another shout and more shots. I look over my shoulder and see Maria firing with her left hand. Thankfully she is not used to use that hand and she misses. I turn a corner and open a entrance to the sewers. It will not be good to my wound. But I need to hide out. The pain is unbearable as my shoulders and head throb in pain and I lose blood from the shot in the shoulder. I run a bit more until I can't walk anymore. I reach less wet spot and sit there falling unconscious again.

In the theater (Maria point of view.)

I have seen the intruder when he tossed the knife on me. I still can't understand why he tossed that knife sheathed. If he could kill me in that attack. Instead he tossed the weapon at my fingers. I can still feel the exploding pain at then when the heavy metal piece hitted then. I managed to shot twice before the pain because impossible to bear and the revolver fell. I saw his face with out the bandana and his blue eyes. I still can't understand why he broke in the theater and leave like that. With out killing one of us or even try to destroy the theater. That is not a behavior of an assassin. My hand it will heal after a couple of weeks according to the doctor. Just a small dislocation in the second joints of the fingers. And a broken trigger finger. Kohran is simply amazed with the knife. She keeps saying that the black material in the sheath is very strong but light. And what truly weights the sheath is the metal in the tips than cover more than half of that sheath. The knife is not so different than any other knife. But she is longer and stronger. Kohran says that it must be an different alloy. She found that inside the hilt have a compass, matches, fishing line, fishing hooks and few others goods of a small survival kit. I am mad because I missed the three shots on him. The first because he reacted and the others because of my pain. Everyone is tense now. The theater is in alert. No one knows if he is an enemy or someone who entered here to sneak on us. We are still famous actresses and he could be a reporter trying to get a good history. Ayame told us that the yumegumi and the tsukigumi are searching to found him. And that the yumegumi is sure that the energy that was on the garden is not evil. But I am not sure. There is no room for mistakes in the battle field.

Yoneda office (Normal point of view)

"So Ayame-kun what we have found?" Yoneda asks to Ayame. Both are in them military uniforms. "Sir so far we found that the intruder was not offensive. That conclusion came after hearing the reports of the hanagumi members. His most aggressive action was tossing the knife in Maria to escape. And the knife was sheathed." Ayame says "No permanent damages or wounds on her." Ayame concludes. "We can assume that his intention was not to injury her. Only deviates her aim?" Yoneda asks. "Yes sir." Ayame says "His actions made clear that he was avoiding conflict. Even that he did not answered to the orders to stop and explain himself. But by Ogami report the intruder might be a foreigner and he might not understand Japanese. What would explain the fact of not obeying the orders." Ayame says reading from a file. "How he entered in the garden? It is off grounds for the public and don't have any access to the external world." Yoneda says "We are still working on that sir. The hypotheses go from sneaking inside by a window to magic teleportation." Ayame says "Resuming no way to know until found him." Yoneda says. Ayame nods agreeing. "Found him. Maria wounded him. He might die and that would not be acceptable if this was all a misunderstanding or a small break in." Yoneda says. "Yes sir!" Ayame says and she leaves the office to coordinate the search.

Teito August ninth 1922

The alarm rang inside the theater walls. Every member of the hanagumi rushes to the briefing room. As soon they are ordered they leave. The enemy is attacking in Ginza. They arrive to found many wakijis there. Randomly destroying buildings. The hanagumi proceed to attack then.

In the sewers.

Benji wakes hearing the sounds of a large battle above him. He breaths hard. He is sweating a lot and the pieces of cloth over his wounds are stained in red and in a green color showing the infection on then. He groans in pain forcing himself to get up. He looks at his digital wristwatch. "Two days? I slept for two days." Benji says to himself. His watch for sure was not right about the daytime. But it would still show the days since his first arrival. He feels a sickness inside himself. Not from the pain, or the infection. But from something else. He climbs out of the sewers and he found himself in an alley. He sees a fallen wakiji. The darkness is attacking." Benji mutters in pain. He can't do much. He only has a butterfly pocket knife and he doesn't have spirit energy. Even if he had he is not in condition to use it and a pocket knife against a giant monster doesn't sound good. "Daskete!" a young girl cries in the street. A wakiji is about to attack the girl. With a last burst of energy Benji runs to her and before the huge axe hits the girl Benji grabs her. And he slides on the sidewalk with the girl on his arms. He falls in one of his knees. Benji cringes in pain. "C-Chi!" the young girl cries on his arms her little hands are stained with his blood and the pus that is running from his shoulder. "Nigeru!" Benji says in Japanese. "Demo…" the young girl mutters crying. "Nigeru!" Benji shouts placing the girl on the ground. The wakiji turns to then. The girl hesitates to obey, but she obeys. Benji smiles a bit. Benji leaps backwards barely avoiding to be hit by the axe. Ready to die Benji dashes to the wakiji and slams his fist on the evil being. A burst of electricity explodes the wakiji top half making the arms fall on the sides. "Lightning destruction fist?" Benji says in shock seeing his right hand spark with the reminiscent electricity. "But this kind of power don't exist……." Benji sentence is cut because the effort was too much for his wounded form. He falls in the ground near of the puddle of goo that once was the wakiji. Blood and pus runs from his shoulder staining the concrete of the sidewalk. The hanagumi watched in shock the event. Sakura who was trying to reach the girl saw in shock what happened. "Taicho what I do?" Sakura asks seeing the fallen man. "Sakura aid that man. Whoever he is he for sure needs treatment." Ogami says. Maria is on the theater unable to pilot because her wounded hand. One hour later the hanagumi is on the hospital. As well Ayame and Yoneda. An elder doctor walks out of a room. "How is him?" Sakura asks "Well he was lucky. His wounds were badly infected but most of the pus has been expelled with the blood. He is weak but I think that he will make it. He seems to be a strong lad." The doctor says. Sakura sighs relieved. "He took a shot on his shoulder. We removed the bullet and cleaned his wounds. Right now he is receiving a large dose of antibiotics to prevent the infection of spreading and to kill it." The doctor says. "Wait a second. He was shot?" Ayame says "Yes. I believe that three times. Two of then are only flesh wounds. The third is a bit deep but it missed a vital point." The doctor says "And we found this very odd watch in his position." He adds giving to Ayame Benji's wristwatch. She looks in awe the piece of advanced technology. "What else you found?" Yoneda asks "Nothing. Taking out his clothes and a pocket knife he doesn't have any positions." The doctor says. "I have to go now." The doctor says excusing himself. The hanagumi looks at Yoneda. "It is a coincidence that we found our intruder after all. I guess that now we can give him a bit of trust." Yoneda says while Ayame pocket the watch. "But he invaded the theater." Sumire says "He did. But he also saved that little girl risking his life." Sakura says in Benji's defense. "Until he wakes we will place guards on his door. After it we will question him." Ayame says the hanagumi nod and leave. Ayame-kun what you think of all this?" Yoneda ask to Ayame when they are alone. "Honestly I don't know what to think. In one day he broke in the theater and wounded Maria. And in the other he risks his life to save a girl that he never met." Ayame says sighing. "But he had this watch that is for sure far more advanced than anything that I saw." She adds handing to him the watch. "It sure looks advanced. But for now let's save the questions to when he wake." Yoneda says looking at the watch. "This watch is with the wrong time and date." He comments reading the numerals.

Teito August nineteenth 1922

Benji opens his eyes, quickly closing then because of the strong white light. He opens then again slowly. He feels warm, clean and very hungry. He looks around and sees that he is in a white immaculate room by the scent he can tell that he is in a hospital. He feels the IV needle on his arm and the bandages around his chest and head. He doesn't feel as much pain as before. He looks at his wrist just to found that his watch is missing. Benji curses in Portuguese. A nurse was walking in the room. And she leaves quickly. Benji can hear her cries "Sensei! Sensei!" Benji groans knowing that now the things will turn worse. Since he is only in a hospital gown he can't leave. Besides even if he leaves he will not found clothes that fit his form. He has one meter and eighty nine centimeters tall with sixty five centimeters of shoulder length. There is no way that he will found clothes in there. Unless in the imperial theater in Maria's or Kanna's closets. For more interesting that rummaging thru the two women clothes might be he is not up to it. An elder man gets inside the room Benji can tell that he is a doctor. He lets the doctor exam him. The elder says something in Japanese. "Nihon-go janai." Benji says trying to let the doctor know that he don't speak Japanese. The old doctor seems to understand and nod. Benji sigh slight content that his crude Japanese is enough to tell a girl to run away and to say to an old man that he don't speak Japanese. The doctor stops the exam knowing that he can't exam him properly because of the language barrier. And he leaves. He makes a signal to Benji stay there. "Gohan onegai shimasu." Benji says before the old man leave. The old man nods. "At least I can ask for food." Benji thinks sitting on the bed. Few minutes later a nurse walks in with a tray of food. "Arigato." Benji says. The nurse smiles at him before walking away. Benji picks the chopsticks frowning a bit with the pain on his shoulder. But he manages to eat with out dropping the chopsticks. "Thank god for being raised eating with chopsticks." Benji thinks eating the light hospital food. After eat he pushes a moving table away and leans a bit on the bed. "You seen to adapt fast." A voice says in English. Benji looks and sees Ayame wearing a blue outfit. "I do the best along the circumstances." Benji replies in the same language. "I noticed. They said that your Japanese was very crude. And because of that incident a couple of weeks ago I was suspecting." Ayame says "Let's say that I regret that I didn't want to take Japanese classes like my family wanted me to do." Benji says taking a chuckle out of Ayame. Benji smiles a bit. "So far so good." Benji thinks.

End of the prologue

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer.

Japanese glossary:

Chi: It means blood

Demo: But and others things in this line.

Taicho: Commander.

Nigeru: Run, get away from here and other things in this line.

Nihon-go: It means Japanese.

Janai: It means no.

Gohan: It means boiled rice.

Onegai: It means please.

Onegai shimasu: I am not sure if writes this way. But it means please in a more humble way.

Arigato: It means thank you.

Author notes P.S

I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. For the unedited version please go to:

the edited version please go to:

thank you all for the understanding. If sexual scenes offend you in any way I am giving you the option to chose a version with out explicit sexual content.


	2. Reactions to a new member

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Chapter one: Reactions to a new member/Outcast

Teito August nineteenth 1922

Ayame stops chuckling and cleans her throat. "I have to ask you few questions. You feel strong enough to answer then?" Ayame asks "Yes. Still hungry. But strong enough to do that." Benji replies "I will ask more food for you." Ayame says calling a nurse. After a quick chat the nurse retrieve the tray and walk away. "Well let's begin." Ayame says sitting on a chair near of Benji bed. "Well ask me." Benji says. Ayame nods "This is not the behavior of a spy or a criminal. He sounds cooperative and a nice man." Ayame thinks "Well to begin with what is your name?" Ayame asks "Himura Benji. And you?" Benji says. Ayame blushes realizing that she haven't introduced herself. "Sorry. I am Fujieda Ayame." She says "Nice to meet you." Benji says. Ayame nods. Benji suppress a smile. After all he knows who she is. But he knows that it is not good to let her know. "Where is your home land?" Ayame asks "Brazil." Benji replies "How old are you?" Ayame asks "Twenty one." Benji answers "Where you got this watch?" Ayame asks "I bought it from a street vendor a couple of years ago." Benji replies after she ends. "It was cheap but the watch is good." Benji says. He knows that honesty is the best way to convince her. But he can't just give her everything. Evasive answers that held the truth are the best now. "How you entered in the imperial theater?" Ayame asks "It was an accident. I don't know how and what happened. When I woke I was there." Benji replies with the truth. After all he doesn't know how he got there anyway. Ayame is confused. She is a good character teller and so far she is getting a good impression of Benji. All his answers sounded like truth and he answered quickly not breaking eye contact. That was more than enough to Ayame be sure that he is not lying. But she also knows that he is not telling her the entire truth. "Where you was hiding for the days before the attack?" Ayame asks "In the sewers." Benji replies. "No wonder it got so infected." Ayame says pointing to his shoulder. "It sounded like a good idea in the time. Being shot is not the best experience in the world and for sure don't help to think rationally." Benji says. Ayame chuckles again. Benji honesty and his comments amuse her in the level of honesty in then. "How you did enter in Japan?" Ayame asks knowing that no one with that description has passed by the Tokyo harbor or Yokohama harbor. "I also don't know." Benji replies. Ayame looks a bit down. But she knows that he is not lying. She keeps the questioning until the nurse return. She refuses when Benji offer her some food. And he eats in silence. She notices that he is not eating the natto and that in the first meal he also hasn't eaten it. "He must not like it. Wait a minute. He doesn't seem clumsy with the chopsticks and he dislikes natto." Ayame says "By your name you cam from a Japanese family am I right?" Ayame asks "My grandfather is Japanese. I was raised with Japanese food and eating with chopsticks." Benji answers. "I see." Ayame says. "It is odd. I will ask some research on the Himura family." Ayame thinks. They talk for a while and she leaves.

In Yoneda office.

"How it goes Ayame-kun?" Yoneda asks "Sir it went fine. He doesn't seem to be a threat but he claims to not know how he entered in the theater grounds." Ayame says "What you think of him now?" Yoneda asks "Sir I think that he is a fine young man. He seems honest. And willing to help." Ayame says "Your conclusion?" Yoneda says "I concluded that we should keep him under our watch until we know more. He does have spirit energy. But he is not aware of it." Ayame says "In other words that attack ten days ago was a fluke?" Yoneda says "Yes. With training he might use it. But if left alone the consequences might be unpleasant." Ayame says "Fine. He has the potential to pilot a koubu. As soon he is able to leave the hospital bring him here. We will have him in the hanagumi." Yoneda says "Yes sir." Ayame says saluting him "I will also order the tsukigumi to found more about him in the mean time." Ayame adds "Do that." Yoneda says.

In the hospital.

"Now I recall of using the lightning destruction fist. I am not sure if it was because I was with a high fever or something. But this is Sakura Taisen world. It is not impossible." Benji says looking at his right hand. He sits in the Indian style and meditates. Using his previous ninjitsu training. With his closed eyes he can't see a faint metal blue aura around him. The aura sparks. From the metal in the room sparks jump to reach another metal. The air is charged with electricity. In the hospital random nurse calls are appearing. Lights fickle in an inconstant pattern. Benji stand his hand and try to focus there. The energy gathers over his hand and between his fingers forming a small ball in the middle of his open palm. The ball grows slowly as the room energy gathers there. It reaches the size of a large orange and stops. Pulsating in an unstable pattern, in the surface electricity sparks. Benji opens his eyes and he stare with awe the metal blue energy ball. "I did it!" Benji thinks in shock. "What I do now?" Benji thinks looking at the ball. He knows that he can't just release that energy. It will destroy things. He takes a deep breath and presses the ball against his stomach. Oddly he doesn't feel pain. He feels the energy running thru him and filling him with warmth as it flows on his veins. Soon the ball is totally gone. Benji sighs with pleasure as the energy flows. It was a pleasurable experience. And the pleasure slowly fades. Oddly Benji don't feel more pain. He removes his bandages and the wound is only a white mark on his skin. "It healed!" Benji shouts in shock. "The energy did more than just pleasure me! How!" Benji thinks feeling the skin there. The skin over the wound is slight smoother than the rest.

Teito August twenty first 1922

Benji and Ayame leave the hospital. Benji is now wearing a black suit. "Where you got this?" Benji asks to Ayame. "I ordered in the tailor where Maria goes. It needs to be adjusted. But it is better than that gown." Ayame says in a casual tone. "It sure it." Benji says "It would look better with the tie." Ayame says "I hate using ties. Sorry Ayame but I won't use it." Benji says. Ayame smiles at him. She likes the way that he is. Very open and carefree. "Fine." She says as she gives him his watch. He is more than glad to have it back. "What time is it?" Benji asks "Ten past noon." Ayame says. Benji adjust the time. "Day and month?" Benji asks "August twenty first. And it is a Saturday." Ayame answers. Benji finishes the adjust. "Thanks. I was lost in the week." Benji says in a casual tone. Ayame chuckles again. Benji wraps the watch around his right wrist. Ayame notices it. She knows that usually people place the watches in the left. But she stays quiet. And they go to the theater. "Resuming everything you and your commander want me to join the hanagumi. Is that right?" Benji says "Yes. You need to learn how to use your new abilities and use then for the right cause." Ayame says. Benji is not excited with the idea. After all until less than a week before that he was only a normal man who wrote fanfics on his free time. With some fighting experienced that consists mainly of beating up brawlers of his school and street punks. That ignoring the martial training that was more for exercise than to make him a real warrior. Even the thought of living under the same roof of ten very beautiful women that many men would kill or die for taking his place don't seen to attract him. He knows that on his own world many would sell the soul for his chance. He sighs knowing that the hanagumi holds the best chance of him returning or being killed. What happens first. "You don't seem very excited about the idea." Ayame says "You will be living with the most attractive women in the Japan. Expending many hours and days with then since they almost don't leave the theater. Men would kill for that chance. You are healthy young man and they are healthy young women. Think of the possibilities." Ayame adds giving him more reasons to be happy. "That is the problem. I can return in any moment. If I fall in love her it will only lead to more pain to me. Ciel was enough." Benji thinks recalling his to thee favorite hanagumi girls Maria, Kanna and Sumire. Followed by Sakura, Reni and Orihime. "I can't picture me and Kohran together." Benji thinks "Orihime is pretty, but she is not exactly my favorite type of girl. She is too spoiled and proud for my taste." Benji adds to his thoughts. "I am sure that even if I were interested to date one of then Maria would kill me. After all she shot me three times and I tossed a knife on her. That is not a way to start a romance." Benji thinks letting out a sigh. "What is on your mind?" Ayame asks "I need to learn Japanese." Benji says his cheap but yet true excuse at her. "That is true. Taking out Maria and me no one else talks English. And I am sure that no one talks Portuguese." Ayame says. "Don't worry. You seem to have a reasonable base. And I can sense that you will learn it fast." Ayame says. Benji looks by a window of they steam car. **"**Bem pelo menos minha família sempre disse que eu tinha talento para linguas.**"** Benji says in Portuguese sighing. "Nani?" Ayame says confused. "I said 'At least my family always told me that I had talent to languages.'" Benji says in English. "Well that will make easier. But until you cal talk it is better you say your needs to me or to Maria." Ayame says "If she doesn't kill me because of that knife." Benji says "She won't. You didn't mean to kill or give her any permanent injuries. I am sure that she understands. I think that in your position in that moment I wouldn't be so thoughtful about the well being of my enemy." Ayame says "They weren't my enemy. It was only a misunderstanding." Benji replies. "I know. But in those circumstances it wouldn't matter. After all she shot you three times." Ayame says "It was a life or death situation." She adds "Still no reason to kill her." Benji says unconsciously rubbing his right shoulder. "But it was quite impressing what you did two days ago." Ayame states recalling of the report of the event "How you did it?" Ayame asks "I don't know. I tried to focus and happened." Benji says recalling of his actions regretting to do it in a hospital where many lives depend of electricity that keeps the machines working. "If you did so easily I am sure that with the training you will be a great fighter." Ayame says in a happy tone. "More merrier. After all with more members better is the chance of Teito surviving the darkness." She adds in her thoughts.

In the theater a half hour later.

Ayame and Benji enter on the theater lobby. Benji looks at it impressed. "It is different from the one that I pictured. Far more beautiful." Benji thinks. Ayame walks ahead of him telling that he would be introduced to the others in the briefing room. Benji looks at the halls making a mental map of the theater. Wanting or not he will need it. Ayame keeps saying of how good is to have a new member trying to cheer up the dark young man. They arrive in the briefing room. There he meets the hanagumi all wearing they uniforms. Benji can easily see the surprise on they eyes and faces. The introductions are done and taking out Iris, Kohran and Sakura that shot question after question at Benji the hanagumi walk away. "I thought that her ass was beautiful in the anime. In real life it is even better." Benji thinks stealing a look at Maria as she walks away from him. "He doesn't speak Japanese girls. So he can't even understand what you all are saying." Ayame says to the trio. "Gomen nasai." Benji says apologizing. "He knows just a bit of Japanese. But not enough to talk with us." Ayame says to the trio and to the members of the hanagumi that are reaching to the door. "Because of that until he learns enough to talk with you girls Maria and I will be translating his English." Ayame says. As the others Benji notices that Maria shoulders shock just a bit by a small instant. "I will do what I am ordered to do." She says in Japanese. Benji don't understand the words but he catches the meaning. "You don't need to be around me if you don't want to. I will ask to Ayame **not** order you to be around me and help me." Benji says. Maria easily picks the emphasis in the not. "I don't want anyone to be forced to do anything that involves me." Benji adds. Maria shrugs and walks away. Ayame sighs knowing that Maria doesn't trust on Benji and that connivance will be hard. With Ayame help Benji answers some of the questions of the trio. But he keeps secret of the knife sheath that was made of plastic and a special steel/titanium/carbon fiber alloy, his watch and gives a background story from one of his fics. Yoneda gives back to Benji his knife and says to him that in the next day Benji would have to sworn an oath in a small ceremony before being a true member of the teikoku kagekidan. Sometime later Ayame escorts Benji to an empty room. "I am sorry for Maria behavior. I think..." She doesn't trust me." Benji says cutting Ayame sentence. "I noticed." Benji adds. "I am sorry. I guess that she is not over that incident yet." Ayame says in a slight sad tone. "There is nothing to apologize. At least not you two. I will apologize for her later. After all I did break her fingers with that stunt." Benji says in an honest tone. "And she shot you. I think that you two are even. But I won't force anything. It would make everything worse." Ayame adds. Benji nods agreeing. "Maybe there is hope yet." Benji thinks. "Tomorrow after you take the oath we will go shop for you some clothes and others personal items that you will need. I am sure that you will be pleased in using that suit everyday." Ayame says "You can bet on that." Benji says "At least I was able to restrain a part of the sentence that would for sure ruin the small bit of trust that Ayame got on me. 'You can bet your pretty ass on that.' It would for sure kill my chances of trust with her." Benji thinks "I need to restrain my instincts. I am on 1920's. People here and specially women are not like in my time. I can't just go talking things like this." Benji adds to his thoughts with a sigh. "How I suffered in Time warrior because of this kind of thing." He adds thinking of one of his fics. "At least there I have a chance to return. Not like this time." Distracted on his thoughts Benji don't see Ayame stopping in front of a room. He walks forward and he crash on her. Being far taller and heavier than Ayame Benji's momentum was more than enough to make then fall. In the fall Ayame grabs Benji by reflex. And the young man spins then in the mid air. They hit the ground making a loud noise. Benji hit the ground first with his back. In the fall he managed to spin and make Ayame falls on top of him so she wouldn't get hurt. "You should pay more attention when walking Benji-kun." Ayame says not noticing the compromising situation of then. She is hugging Benji by the neck and he is holding her by the waist and she is straddling him with his hips between her legs. "Sorry." Benji says in English "I was lost in thoughts." Benji says before realize that the face of the Fujieda woman is really close of his and they position. "Reality is weirder than fics." Benji thinks feeling his cheeks burn. "Ayame-san I think that you should get up now." Benji says unwrapping his arms from her waist. Ayame realize they position and blush too but she gets up. Benji get up too "Sorry for this." Benji says looking away. "It is okay. It was an accident. Right Benji-kun?" Ayame says adding a large dose of teasing on her question "Of course it was!" Benji almost shouts his answer. Ayame chuckles with his reaction "So I am not attractive enough to you take me into the ground?" Ayame says in a clearly fake hurt tone "Not that you aren't attractive. But I am not so forward." Benji says trying to found his way out of that situation. He is aware that Ayame likes to tease and that situation is for sure something that she will tease him for. After all she is already doing. "I believe in you." Ayame says "Just don't get in accidents like this with the girls. I am sure that they will not be so easy on you." Ayame says placing a key on his hand and walking away "Ja ne Benji-kun." She says moving down the hall "Nice rear." Benji thinks looking her walking away. Benji shakes his head trying to remove the hentai images of his electronic doujinshi collection "I don't need a visual!" Benji thinks as the many hentai images flash on his mind. Beginning with Maria passing by the entire hanagumi, Iris included and ending on Ayame. "I think that by my time here I will understand how bad was to Keitaro live on the Hinata-sou. I hope if my stay hears ends like his I have gained his immortality." Benji mutters in English before slipping into his room. "I am regretting not having that making out with that girl in the party before I 'left'. Now I will suffer because my delay." Benji says in Portuguese. "Ten beautiful women in the same house that I live and my polluted mind that is the recipe of much trouble." Benji adds tossing himself in the bed. "I guess that this room will get familiar to me." Benji mutters in Portuguese. He scans the empty room. "At least this is more or less as I pictured." Benji thinks seeing the room. He can't help in recalling of the episode five of the Sakura Taisen TV series where it shows Iris room. "Bland, empty and cold. But it is larger than my bedroom. But I will need to sleep in a bed again. Have been sometime since my last time in a bed." Benji thinks he places the key in a night stand and tries to get some sleep half hoping to be in his home when he wakes.

In Yoneda office

Ayame is in front of Yoneda that is sited on his chair. "So he will blend?" Yoneda asks to Ayame "I think that given the proper time he will. Honestly I like of him." Ayame says "Well then he must be good." Yoneda says looking at her "I don't mean in skills. But there is something on him that inspires me to trust on him." Ayame says "It may be feminine intuition. But I think that he will be helping us in this crisis." She adds "I hope so. And how Maria will react?" Yoneda says "She is still suspicious. That is normal. But I can't say for sure that she will trust on him. That is up to him. But I guess that asking to not order Maria to stick around him was a good beginning." Ayame says "I think that too. But let's see what happens now." Yoneda says. Ayame nods and walks to her desk to prepare some Japanese lessons to the new member of the hanagumi.

In Benji room (Benji POV)

There is no use. I can't fall on sleep during the day. I am not like the rest of my family. They can sleep in any time during the day. I can't. If I sleep during the day I will stay awake in the night. I can't do anything. I don't know Japanese. I can't chat with anyone. Well I could try talking to Maria. But by the look on her eyes she will shot me down. Literally. I already bugged Ayame enough for the day. Being trapped in another time is hard especially when you don't speak the language of the place where you are trapped. At least I will have some real experience in that to place on time warrior. Hey what will happen with my fics? With my college and everything? Being trapped here prevents me from doing lots and lots of things. I sit in the bed leaning my back in the head of the bed. I will have to fight by the hanagumi now. I sigh I can't help in recalling Maria word to me few days ago. "Benji you are too violent. I know that you are usually a calm guy. But you are really a time bomb. You have so much anger inside you just waiting a something to trigger it. And when it does it is not pretty. Forgive me for saying this, but you are too savage and violent. I know that Ciel gets violent in her period. But that is it. One time in a month. You only need have an excuse. Usually people keep the anger bottled up and then it release it and that is over. The anger is gone. With you the anger is never gone. You only have to think about your father or something else that piss you that the anger is there ready to burn and making you ready to beat someone. And beat hard. Everyone knows it. We also know that you have a huge patience and that is hard to anger you. But when you get angry it is not something nice to see. I still remember that the reason that you and your brother stop fighting was because you broke his ankle in a fight. Then you two saw how strong you two where. Honestly Benji I am not like Lisa. I don't want to be around when you unleashes all that anger that you have. Because I know if I saw you like that I will not like it and I might end hating you. And I don't want to hate you." Hearing those words hurt. Especially when they come of a person that you consider a sister. But I can't blain her. She is right. But I also recall my blood line. I am part Arab, part Japanese and part Brazilian by blood. Violence is in my blood. After all those three races fought many wars. And I know for sure that in the five hundred years of Brazil many of then passed in wars. "Violence is in my blood." I say in loud in Portuguese. Every human have violence in his or hers blood. The human history was rocked by wars. The most notable features of the human race came after wars. Resuming we are natural born warriors with the violence inside us. I am not exception. I am the rule. I look at my watch. Only four hours have passed since I arrived in this theater. This place is worse than the EAFST. Boring 'till death. I get up and I pace around the room. I feel like a fresh caged wild feline. I know that the door isn't locked. But I am not up to trying to making friends with the hanagumi. Because if I do parting will hurt me. I open the window and a gush of fresh air enters in the room. Very pure when comparing to the air of my time and my home city. The sun is moving to the west. Are four and an half in the afternoon. The sun is in a pleasant warmth. I look down my room have a view to the street. I grab the window frame. Shoving my small fear of highs in the depths of my mind I pull myself upwards and climb my way to the roof. I recall from the OVA series that this was a common hang out spot for the hanagumi in the hot summer days. I walk by the roof trying to found the better spot for lie down. I found it near of the attic. It has the shade of the attic and it is being hit by the cool breeze. I am like a cat. Good to found the most comfortable place in anywhere that I go. I lie in the roof feeling a pleasant warmth of the sun heated material passing by the fabric of my pants and shirt. I place my hands behind my head to support my head and I just stay there hearing the noises of the city. Far away and slightly muffled by the walls I can hear the hanagumi singing. For sure rehearsing for a play. I can't help on smiling at the thought. I reach to my pant right pocket and I pick up my butterfly knife. I careless play with it opening and closing it just hearing the sound of the metal brushing against metal hearing the slight exciting and slight scary sound of the metal. I stop holding the blade open and I look at myself reflected in the mirror like blade. I see my eyes. They are no longer brown. Now they are blue. Not sky blue or dark blue. Metal blue. I smile at the thought recalling my shock when Ayame said that my eye color was pretty but unusual. When I said that they where brown she chuckled and gave me a mirror allowing me to see then. I freaked out. That was a big change. She laughed hard that morning. Now I got used. Maybe is a way to show that I am bonded to my new powers. I also feel some anger. Ciel have blue eyes. Now I have blue eyes. I can't avoid feeling a bit angry. Ciel is my ex-girlfriend and my childhood friend. We dated for many years. And now this eye color recalls me of her. I close the knife and pocket it again. There is no use in opening old wounds. Well not so old. But now I have to adapt to this. I close my eyes. I can't hear the girls singing anymore. Or they are singing lower or the rehearse is over. But I wonder how my friends and my family are taking my disappearance. I mean I am not the kind of guy who leaves with out telling anyone where he is going. And I don't exactly go out much taking out to a friend house.

In the recreation room (Normal POV)

"I wonder when we will be able to talk with the new guy." Kanna says in a slight excited tone. "As soon he learns to speak Japanese." Sumire says in a tone full of venom directed to Kanna. Ogami notices that Maria is quieter than the usual. She is scratching the cast that is immobilizing her right hand and fingers. She is doing that absent minded looking out by a window. Iris and Sakura are playing with Jean-Paul. And Kohran is on her lab trying to build something. The shouts of Kanna and Sumire fill the air. Each member keep killing the time as they usually do trying to ignore the previous subject. During the dinner no ones comments at his absence. Ogami notices but he don't says anything. He also notices the trouble that she is having in eating with the left hand.

In the roof.

Benji is sleeping on the roof. The warm night cover him as a blanket. The cool breeze brush against his form careless playing with his hair. Hours later he wakes. He looks tired. "Damn. I can't believe on this." He says looking at his watch. "I slept thru the afternoon. And now I know that I will not be able to sleep anymore." He adds getting up. He skillfully moves to his room by the window. But back in there he faces again the same enemy that he faced hours before. The raw and powerful boredom. He removes his shoes and decides to walk around the theater. After all that is the better way to get used to the building and to expend some energy to get tired enough to fall on sleep. Used to wander on his own house in the night Benji have a rather good night vision. Being careful to memorize every turn and hall so he would know his way back Benji walks around building a mental map of the theater. He doesn't look around. After all in the darkness he won't be able to see the decoration. But he can make the outlines of furniture and door frames. He is distracted thinking about how he will live until returning. A hissing sound cuts his thoughts and he raises his left arm hardening his muscles. A loud thud echoes in the dark halls. Benji feels the sting of the pain on his forearm. He can see a long rod connected on his arm being held by a dark figure. Before the person can attack again Benji twists his arm grabbing the rod and with his right hand he grabs the attacker neck and slams him into a near wall. Two metallic sounds are heard. Benji feels a body warm barrel on his chest. But he is pressing his razor sharp butterfly knife against the back of the attacker neck. He can fire but the motion will cause the knife to cut the attacker neck severing the jugular. The sound of a hammer being pulled back is heard. "Ai uchi." Benji says calmly. Is the only way in Japanese to him to say 'if you kill me I kill you.' Outside a cloud moves away from the moon giving a bit of more light in the dark halls. "Maria?" Benji says recognizing his attacker. Her eyes also show surprise. But it quickly fades being replaced by anger.

End of the chapter one:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer.

Japanese glossary:

Nani: It can mean 'what', 'I don't get it' and other ways to ask what is happening or what you said.

Gomen nasai: Means I am sorry.

Ja ne: It can means see you later. Have others meanings too.

Ai uchi: A kendo term to a draw where the two fighters kill each other.

Portuguese glossary:

EAFST: Is the monogram of Santa Teresa federal agriculture school. In Portuguese. In the school we used to tease the school by changing a bit the monogram. FESTA It means party in Portuguese. Because most that students did there was go to the nearby city and get drunk.


	3. Fighting

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Chapter two: Fighting

Teito August twenty second 1922

A hissing sound cuts his thoughts and he raises his left arm hardening his muscles. A loud thud echoes in the dark halls. Benji feels the sting of the pain on his forearm. He can see a long rod connected on his arm being held by a dark figure. Before the person can attack again Benji twists his arm grabbing the rod and with his right hand he grabs the attacker neck and slams him into a near wall. Two metallic sounds are heard. Benji feels a body warmed barrel on his chest. But he is pressing his razor sharp butterfly knife against the back of the attacker neck. He can fire but the motion will cause the knife to cut the attacker neck severing the jugular. The sound of a hammer being pulled back is heard. "Ai uchi." Benji says calmly. Is the only way in Japanese to him to say 'if you kill me I kill you.' Outside a cloud moves away from the moon giving a bit of more light in the dark halls. "Maria?" Benji says recognizing his attacker. Her eyes also show surprise. But it quickly fades being replaced by anger. To her surprise Benji removes the knife from the back of her head and let go of her collar and remove his forearm from her chest no longer pressing her into the wall. "Sorry." Benji says in English closing the butterfly knife and pocketing it. "I could kill you if I wanted to." Maria says also in English. "I know." Benji says picking up the fallen rod. Maria looks at his wide back. He gun is still aimed at him. Benji hears with relieve the hammer being rested and the sound of the gun being holstered. "What you are doing walking around in the theater this hour of the night?" Maria asks. "I can't sleep." Benji says handing to her the rod. "I fell in sleep in the afternoon. And my body needs to compensate it. So I don't sleep in the night." Benji says half joking. She receives the rod "I thought that you where a thief." Maria says "You shouldn't be walking around the theater in the night. And especially bare footed." Maria says turning on a flashlight aiming it to his feet. Benji blinks many times adjusting to the new light level "I didn't want to wake anyone." Benji says "And you shouldn't be doing the night patrol with that wounded hand." Benji adds pointing to her right hand. He notices Maria frowning "I am sorry for that. I didn't mean to toss the knife so hard." Benji gives her his honest apologies "I can understand why you did it. But that don't mean that I will accept then or forgive you." Maria says in an ice cold tone. "I am not asking you to accept. I am offering then. If you accept is up to you. I won't force. But I wanted to say it." Benji says moving to return to his room. "And I don't hold any grudges about you shooting me. You did what you needed to be done to protect your home." He adds sliding back into the dark halls now moving to his own room. Maria stands there absorbing the information. And she misses Benji sigh with relieve for not being killed. "That was close." Benji whispers in Portuguese. "Odd man." Maria mutters in Russian before resuming her job. She reaches to her neck. She feels on her fingers the warm and wet feeling of blood. "Really sharp." Maria whispers in Russian recalling the coldness of the blade pressed there and by just being pressed was enough to cut her skin a bit. She shivers by a second thinking that his words where perfect for the situation. "Ai uchi. A draw of death for both." She adds in Russian. She can picture the event. She shot him in the chest. That wouldn't kill him immediately. She can almost feel the cold blade slicing her white neck in bone deep severing her jugular leaving both to bleed to death in the dark hall. They would fall together and they blood would mix while they slowly die a cold death. Maria shakes her head trying to remove the thought. She doesn't know that Benji is doing the same thing few meters ahead of her. Maria fills up with anger. It is the second time that Benji matches her. And she did not like it. A factor that would add a new level of rage on the blonde soldier is that Benji is actually an amateur. Taking out a huge load of fights with brawlers and training hours Benji don't have any combat experience in what came in military. And that Benji is matching her experience with instinct would flare rage in an epic level on the Russian markswoman. In the morning Benji is on the dinning room having breakfast with everyone. Maria doesn't see any signs of the tiredness that he had some hours before. Ayame is near him but the Brazilian stays quiet eating. Ayame translate Benji will to wash the dishes since he haven't helped on cooking. The hanagumi happy in skipping the chore accepts. Ayame and Benji move to the kitchen to clean up the dirty dishes. Benji rolls up his sleeves and begin to wash then. "How you got that bruise?" Ayame asks seeing a small bruise. "I accidentally slammed my arm in the door knob." Benji says. The bruise is very small comparing to the rod that produced it. Ayame accepts the excuse noticing the small lie but letting it be. By the shape she can guess what caused it. But since he didn't said a thing she let it pass. "The manager decided to delay the oath until you are able to talk Japanese." Ayame says "Okay." Benji answers handing to her a damp dish. Later Ayame drags Benji to a room and begin to tutors him. They stop only for small pauses to fetch some water or toilet breaks. That ignoring one hour break for the lunch. Being trapped in Japan sure makes Benji puts more effort in learning the language than before. Ayame smiles at it. After all it is funny. She patiently teaches him until the dinner time ending the day lessons. To the brunet relieve. She smiles seeing him walking away saying that he was up to take a long bath. Conveniently forgetting to mention to the young man that it is time of the girl's pre-dinner bath hour. Five minutes later she hears six females screams filling the air. In the bathroom Benji is with a damp towel wrapped around his waist running and dodging many flying bath items that are tossed by the infuriated hanagumi members. And the girls are blocking the only exit. Benji run to then and slides between Kanna legs. His wet body gives him the lack of traction needed to perform the action. Kanna blushes in a deep shade of crimson and turn around in time to see Benji grabbing his pants and running away. The girls only wearing towels chase him. Benji leaps down a row of stairs doing a somersault on air and putting on his pants in a skillful move. He lands on his feet and keeps running closing the button of his pants. The girls are few meters behind him. Benji can't understand they words, but he can tell that re insults and death threats from the tone. Benji runs by the dinner hall doors followed by the hanagumi. Before Ogami and the kazegumi can ask what is happening Benji slides again under a table that Kanna turns over. Benji leaps breaking a window and landing on the safety of the garden. "I doubt that those girls will have the courage of following me naked out here." Benji says in English catching his breath "You doubt?" Maria whispers in English on his ear from behind. Benji reacts leaping forward avoiding being grabbed by Maria. By reflex Benji grabs the blonde arm and grab her clothes. That in the moment is only a single pink towel. Benji tosses her over his shoulder tossing her in the ground. He don't realize until is too late that the towel was only wrapped against her body. And she falls on the ground on her birthday suit. Benji stares at Maria for a second before being hit in the head hard by something really hard. Benji falls forward and he rolls almost falling over Maria naked form. Benji gets up rubbing his head seeing that Sumire broke a broomstick against his head. Sumire is taken back by the fact that he is still up after that strike. Benji notices that he is still with Maria towel. He smiles evilly making Sumire shiver. He spins the towel with his two hands. A snap cuts the air "AAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" The hanagumi froze hearing the high pitched and very loud scream. They run to the garden and found Sumire jumping in pain rubbing her backside shedding tears of pain and shame. Benji is spinning the towel again. There are a few red lines trickling from Benji head running on his neck, back and face. Maria is getting up. Kanna charges at Benji. And the young man dodges and gives to the tall woman a taste of what Sumire is feeling. The towel snaps in Kanna backside "AAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" the Okinawan screams in pain now doing the exact same thing that Sumire is doing with tears building up on her eyes. The others girls try to picture how a towel can make the duo suffer so much. But none of then is quite willing to found out by themselves. Benji is trying hard to control himself. Seeing in real life half naked duo of Kanna and Sumire jumping up and down rubbing them backsides and the duo breasts bouncing on the movement is a bit too much for a healthy young man as Benji. Maria notices it and decides to attack him while he is distracted. Maria grabs Benji. But both of then are covered in sweat and Benji is only with his pants and Maria is naked. The result is that Benji feels very well Maria breasts and body rubbing against his before he escape and whips Maria backside with the towel. The hanagumi now can see the large red imprint of the towel appear on Maria well shaped backside. "AAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Maria shrieks in pain with tears on her eyes. The added sight of Maria naked breasts moving up and down as she jumps in pain rubbing her backside is far too much to the young and sex lacked man. He got a nosebleed and faint. Following Ogami who did it after Benji whipped Kanna. Ayame arrives before the trio can recover and lynch the unconscious man. "All of you dress up. Then I will hear both versions of the story." Ayame says to the half naked hanagumi. Sumire, Kanna and Maria look at Ayame with pleading looks to beat up Benji. But they obey. "Kasumi help me to take Benji-kun to his room." Ayame says to the older kazegumi member "Yuri, Tsubaki take Ogami-kun to his." The trio obeys. One hour later Benji wakes on his room. "God. I have a really odd dream. The hanagumi chased me around the theater half naked. And I whipped Maria, Kanna and Sumire with Maria towel." Benji says in Portuguese "Well mind in translating that?" Ayame says looking at him. She is sited beside the bed. Benji sits and see the towel on his hand "Your weapon of choice. You give then some really bad damages." Ayame says teasing recalling that the trio used a cushion each on the chairs where they sited. "God it wasn't dream." Benji says in English. "No it wasn't. Let me guess they walked in?" Ayame says "Yes." Benji says "Then they begin tossing things at me. So I escaped from there." Benji adds "Well Kanna said that you sled between her legs. And she wasn't wearing anything else than a towel." Ayame says with a cat like smirk "I didn't exactly did in purpose. I just reacted at it." Benji says blushing. "I am sure that you enjoyed your view." Ayame says teasing seeing Benji blushing more. But she notices the corners of his lips rise just a little bit confirming that he did enjoy the view. "What you are thinking now?" Ayame asks "Now I am sure that they are natural." Benji says with out really think abut the answer. Ayame smiles evilly as Benji blushes understanding what he just said. He hits his forehead with his free hand. "Great. I just screwed myself now." Benji says "Well you are a healthy young man. Is only natural that you think about that. Just try to keep it for yourself from now on." Ayame says in a half teasing, half serious tone. Benji nods recalling the sights that he had during the day. "Go take a bath. You are covered in blood." Ayame says. Benji nods walking away "And use the showers." Ayame says "I was planning in doing so." Benji says walking away. Ayame moves away with a smile. "He is so easy to tease." She thinks moving to her office. Benji enter in the showers room and after undress he enter in one stall and wash himself to remove the blood from his form. "It hasn't passed two days that I am here and I saw then naked." Benji thinks "At least I took more time that Keitaro. He saw Naru naked on the day one and in the first hour. I hope that I live thru dinner." He adds sighing under the warm water. He is so focused on his thoughts that he doesn't notice that he no longer alone in the shower room. Maria, Kanna and Sumire have entered to have a bath too. Since they backsides are still very sore at the towel whipping the showers was the best to then. And they are greeted by the sight of a naked Benji washing himself humming a low tune with his back turned at then. Sumire is about to shout something. But Kanna muffles her and Maria gives a light tap on the brunet backside. Sumire feels the sting of pain because of the whipping and she nods. The trio decides to walk away and not provoke him. At least while he has a towel near him. After ten minutes Benji walks out of the shower room fully dressed. The trio looks at his retreating form. "It is clear now." Maria says "At least he is not with a towel." Kanna says seeing the wet towel in a basket in a side of the shower room recalling very well the intense pain that have only subsided a little since she was whipped. The trio just decides to take they own baths and try to forget the painful stings that they are still getting from the whipping. Later in the dinner Benji is sited near of Ayame with his back really close of the wall and near of clear window. Ayame chuckle at the young man precautions. But she is aware even thought the window is closed it didn't mattered to him. After all he leaped thru closed windows twice since he arrived. She knows that he is not very used to hanagumi and the fact of the previous incident make it worse. The others are sited in the same table as then. Chatting among them. Benji is studying they faces. After all that is the only way to him to know if they are going try to kill him again. They tried it twice and he honestly didn't like it. Ayame sigh mentally the ice between then have grown thicker. And she knew that Benji would have to work really hard to break it. After the dinner everyone moved to they own rooms. Sometime pass two in the morning the alarm sounds. Benji grab some clothes and run to the briefing room. Unlike the hanagumi who have they tunnels. He reaches the room while finishing buttoning up his shirt. Yoneda smiles at it Yoneda brief the hanagumi while Ayame does the same with Benji. The Brazilian is in shock Ayame is holding something that he recognizes. "My bag pack?" Benji asks in English not sure if he can trust on his eyes. "Yes. I found it when you landed." Ayame leans closer of him "War Master-dono." She whispers the last part low enough just to him hears her. Maria sees that but don't understand what she said to make him blush that deeply. "That was in my wild days." Benji whispers back embarrassed about her knowing his title in his old boarding school. Ayame smiles at him. She sees him pull two metal tekkos. He put then on and the sound of the metal locks clipping is heard. Ayame smiles and walks to a corner and returns holding a fukuro and a black long sleeved coat. "Here. You will need this." Ayame says handing the items to him. "But why you are giving me this sword?" Benji asks. The hanagumi are leaving to the koubus. "Watashi shinjiterimasu." Ayame replies to him in Japanese. Even with his crude Japanese Benji understood the meaning. "I am not worthy." Benji says "You are." Ayame replies softly leading him away to the transport that she and the commander use to get in the battle site. "This coat is made of a special brand of steel carefully wired and turned into fabric. It is very light and is better than many armors." She says while he puts on the shirt like coat. "A chain mail?" Benji asks "Like that. The hanagumi don't like using it. Since they fight in the koubus they say that is unnecessary. And Sumire complained that it was blocking her energy." Ayame says lifting the skin tight coat collar to cover his neck. "But since you are aligned with electricity that will not be a problem." She adds. Benji removed the tekkos and Ayame look at then while he adjusts the mail. The metal covering the arms are thin. But reasonable thick considering that was made from a better mix of steel. It has small clips on the extend of the arm. The joints are covered with small metal plates one over the other giving movement freedom and resistance. The joints also have steel wires adding more protection. It has a metal plate where the back of the hands are with a metal bar to be slided on the hand over his palm. Over the fingers more metal plates with a ring on each. The ring reaches the middle of the fingers where the plate ends giving each finger independent movements. "A mix of a gauntlet and a tekko." Ayame thinks hitting on the spot the use of the garments. Benji puts then on over the mail. He removes a katana from the fukuro. "Think as a gift from me." Ayame says as he looks at the sword. "I am not worthy." Benji says once more "You are fighting for my city that makes you worthy." Ayame says to him. Benji knows that Ayame truly loves Teito. And he recalls her words to Maria when she recruited her in the OVA Teito is a city that holds many of my memories. "It is called Fukushu. It means revenge." Ayame says to Benji. His eyes wide a bit and he have a small smile. What Ayame didn't know is that Benji's knife is called Vingança, which is revenge in Portuguese. Benji ties the fukuro in the tips of the sword sheath and he places it on his back. Benji reaches in the bag pack again. He retrieves a large piece of cloth. It is a dark blue bandana that he ties on his forehead. They arrive in the battle scene and Benji leaves. He sees the military. He can see in a short distance the hanagumi facing the wakijis. But his mission there is another. "Ayame can you give me a crowbar?" Benji asks to the female officer. "Yes I can." Ayame says "But why?" she asks confused. Benji smiles not answering her question. But a soldier gives to him a large crowbar. It is an ninety centimeters black steel bar, with two sharpened tips. One curved and the other straight. Benji smiles grew evilly when he hits his left hand with the crowbar causing sparks to fly on the air with the contact of the two metal forms. Benji runs to the battle knowing very well what he has to do. "I trust in you." Ayame whispers before Benji leaves her line of sight. Benji races in the streets. He slams his crowbar against the head of a man. The head explodes in a bloody mess and the corpse falls. Around Benji there is dozens of men and women charging at him with a slow speed. That is his assignment eliminate the humans who where turned into mindless demons by Setsuna powers. The heavy metal bar smashes another head when is swinged strongly by the tall man. More blood flows and another corpse falls. Benji is not exactly enjoying himself. But by instinct he is smiling he knows that here that tactic won't work. His smile is a tactic to make his opponents fear him. If his ferocity in combat wasn't enough for that. Ayame saw everything from her binoculars as did Yoneda. He was honestly impressed with Benji performance. "Just like was written in that diary." Ayame thinks recalling of her time with Benji belongings. Including a palm top that held a diary that he kept. "I wonder why he wrote in English." She adds in her thoughts. She didn't know that it is a hobby of his write in English. Mostly because he didn't wanted to his younger cousins or some of his friends read it, so he wrote in another language. Benji hits another man in the knee smashing the bone and making the man fall before crushing his skull. He nails another one with the curved tip and slams him into the asphalt. "A weapon with a blade would be much better." Benji thinks. He knows about the sword on his back. But he can't make himself use it. "I am not worthy using a katana." Benji thinks as he kills another one, now a woman. He notices that the numbers are not lessening. He runs while hanging the crowbar on his belt. He pulls back his fingers almost like claws and with his thumbs he presses a button on the tekkos. Four blades appear from the bars in the middle of the palms leaping from the resting places. Benji leaps and slams his hands on the wall of a building and climbing it. He uses his hands as climbing hooks and his feet to gain leverage and speed. Quickly reaching to the roof. In there he tosses on the crowd of mindless demons a pair of grenades taken from a small bag given by Ayame. The grenades explode and transform the large crowd into a bloody mess. But more keeps coming. "I have to found Setsuna or this will never end." Benji says to himself. As long that demon brat is turning civilians the battle would not end. And Benji would not be able to rest peacefully with out making that demon pay for killing so many innocents. Then he felt it again. He felt sick but not truly sick. He can feel all his hair standing on the end. Then it hits him "He is close." Benji says understanding. He is feeling Setsuna evil energy Benji spit on the roof as if trying to removed a foul taste from his mouth. Benji looks down and fighting his fear of highs he grabs the crowbar and leaps in to nearest lamp post. He uses the crowbar as a hook and he slides down the metal pillar. He can feel the feeling grow weaker and understand that he is moving away. And Benji races after the demon boy in the direction that his instincts lead him to knowing that now more than ever he should trust in his instincts. He feels a sharp pain run in his right ankle. And he fall not knowing that it just saved his life. Right where his head was a huge gray fist flied and destroyed a wall. Benji rolls over and cringing in pain gets up placing his weight on his left side. "Rasetsu." Benji mutters seeing the giant man. He knew that Setsuna is close too. Benji was pale he know by sure that he can't even match Rasetsu strength. Rasetsu matches a koubu in strength. And Benji was a bit weaker than Kanna, faster than Kanna but weaker. And his ankle gave up on him he knew that he couldn't run fast enough. Benji curses himself for forgetting many times that his ankle was still healing even thought his wounds where fully healed by his fluke move in the hospital his ankle weren't. And he forced it a lot. Leaping out windows, climbing walls, dodging the hanagumi and running. Now his weakened ankle gave away. "I am a sitting duck." Benji thinks looking around for any way to escape. Benji leaps backwards avoiding a punch from the giant demon. Benji cringes in pain when his right foot reaches the ground. He tosses a grenade on the demon but as the Brazilian ninja expected it didn't harmed him. But he used that time to get some distance between then. He tosses his last grenade at him trying to delay him a bit more. Benji don't have any control over his energy. He tried to use it many times after the first one just to found his efforts being futile. So he was not going to face Rasetsu like he is. Maybe coming back with a tank or a bazooka he would. But not in melee and wounded. Benji reaches on the bag that Ayame have given to him. He pulls a small black vial. "This might turn really bad. The last time that I took this was in the dorms wars and I still remember what happened then." Benji thinks. But he can hear Rasetsu charging at him. He opens the bottle and gulps down the contents. The overly bitter and sweet taste of a very personal mix of guaraná powder, guaraná syrup, açai syrup and tea fills his mouth. His fast working system absorbs the powerful energetic mix in a fast rate. Benji feels his heart rate increase and his muscles tensing. More adrenaline runs thru his veins and the pain lessens. Benji dodge another attack from Rasetsu and slashes him with his knife. The cut was shallow, but deep enough to draw blood. Benji grabs the crowbar with his free hand and spinning slams the steel bar on Rasetsu knee. The giant fall and Benji leaps on the air and holding the crowbar with both hands slams it on Rasetsu head. The giant mask falls. "Shit!" Benji thinks seeing that. Rasetsu haven't fallen unconscious or at least being stunned by the hard blow. Instead he grabbed Benji by the neck and slams the man into a wall. Benji can feel the over growing pressure on his neck suffocating him. He tries to struggle burring deep the blades on his palms in Rasetsu arm. But his efforts are in vain. Benji feel an intense pain as his lungs burn begging for air. "I have to break out of his grip!" Benji thinks with his mind running at unthinkable speed "I can't die! I can't die here! But if I die here what would happen! I would go back home! I would die my final death here! With no one that I know knowing about my death!" his mind runs in despair as he begin to feel his muscles relaxing. His hands release Rasetsu arm. The knife is attached to Benji arm by one of the metal clips. And the crowbar is hanging on his fingers. Benji eyes begin to close as the oxygen deprivation gets in the near deadly level. "I don't want to die…." Is his last thought. Something burst inside him. His fingers grip strongly on the crowbar and he slams the flat and sharp tip of the steel tool on Rasetsu arm. A greenish goo flows from the wound. Benji eyes are foggy. He twists the crowbar causing to Rasetsu scream as his bones that where broken when the tool pierced his arm shatter. Then Benji twist the tool to a side and Rasetsu arm lose his strength. But driven by the rage he punches Benji with his good arm. The Brazilian ninja fly back and breaks a shop window and slams in the counter after take down many goods. He lies sited gasping for air. Rasetsu falls on his knees trying to remove the tool that is buried deep on his arm with out damaging himself more. In the darkness of the room Benji half closed blue eyes glow in an eerie shade of metal blue. He takes deep breaths feeing the air on his lungs and the oxygen running on his muscles. He hears something moving on his right. But he is not recovered yet to fight the threat. He moves his head to the side and sees an attractive woman wearing a yellow kimono moving toward him. "Daijobu?" the woman asks to him in a worried and scared tone. "She is a human." Benji thinks in pain "Nigeru." Benji says trying to move. "Demo anata wa…." "Nigeru!" Benji says in a commanding tone cutting her sentence. She seems to be confused. She says something that he doesn't understand and presses few points on his body. "A gata sabe acumpultura." Benji think feeling the pain subside until disappear. They hear Rasetsu scream. She presses a last point and get up. She bow at Benji and run away to the back to hide. Benji smiles "Ela salvou minha vida. Vou pagar o favor." He says in Portuguese. He removes the sword from his back. He ties it on his light leg and makes an improvised splint. He makes sure that it is tight and he ties the fukuro just above his knee where the sheath ends and ties his bandana on the tip around the ankle. He can't move his foot anymore but the sword will give him the stability that he will need to fight. He shakes his head trying to remove a familiar face from his thoughts. "The last thing that I need now is recall of that promise. Is not time to be a nice ninja guy. And I am no longer dating Ciel." Benji mutters to himself. He growl on anger recalling that they broke up and keep feeding his anger with others memories that he hates to recall. The times that his father beaten him, every time that he hold beck when people provoked and the time that a guy who lived on his dorm tried to rape Ciel and Julietta. Benji feels the anger filling him up. Combined with the energetic mix he races to Rasetsu. He no longer feels pain thanks to the adrenaline and the woman pressing his pressure points. He slashes Rasetsu who roars in pain with the now deeper wound. Benji slides on the sidewalk and dashes back to the giant. He notices happily that the crowbar is still on Rasetsu arm. And that means one less powerful member to worry about. "Not that I can't remove another one." Benji mutters in English. He slashes Rasetsu behind the knee. With a smirk Benji feels the tendon there being cutted and the giant fall unable to stand over his right leg. Rasetsu roars loudly in rage. Benji leaps over the giant and avoids an attack from him. Benji lands hard on his left leg. He rolls minimizing the impact and gets up reading himself to another attack. His dash is broken by an invisible force shoves Benji back into the store slamming him against the counter again. Benji still feeling numb gets up. "This one is resistant." A young voice says "Setsuna." Benji says recognizing the young demon. "You know me! How pleasant. Now let me see how we can play." Setsuna says. Benji cringes in pain feeling the demon forcing to read his mind. "He is a kid. So let's try something really naughty." Benji thinks in Portuguese seeing the confusion on the demon as he reads but don't understand his thoughts "You won't need to understand my language to know the meaning of what I will show you." Benji says in English and seeing that Setsuna understood it. Benji flood his mind with the most shocking, depraved, violent, wicked, nauseating, obscene, gruesome and filthiest sex scenes that he have seem in his comics, movies, series and on the internet. Setsuna gasps at the flood of images. "What the hell is that!" the demon boy shouts. "That is just some porn." Benji says moving toward Setsuna with a wicked smirk on his lips and a cold glow on his eyes "And I haven't even got on the yaoi yet." Benji adds. He can see the understanding on the demon boy face. After all he took the image from his mind. "No! Stay away! Stay away! I don't want to see more!" Setsuna cries moving back. "What is wrong kid? Can't stand a bit of hardcore porn?" Benji taunts the kid that is beginning to run away. Benji sees on Setsuna hand an odd staff with an odd looking skull on the tip. Setsuna lifts Rasetsu with his powers and they hover away. Benji runs to the window 'Come back here kid. I haven't even got on the juicy part!" Benji shouts as Setsuna looks back to him "Ahh muleki!" Benji shouts seeing the demon fleeing. Entering on the street is the hanagumi. They see everything. Benji tosses his knife up and it spins on the air and he grabs the tip. He pulls his arm back all the way and tosses the knife over Setsuna with a stunning strength. The knife cuts the air in an amazing speed and the demon shouts with the knife cuts his thumb and the staff off his hand before he teleports away. Benji walks the distance between the store and the knife that is nailed in a wall in the other side of the street three shops down. The hanagumi moves closer of him. Benji sheaths the knife and he bends over dusting himself and untying the bandana from his ankle. He grabs the now broken staff "Well my part of the job is done." He says "And yours?" Benji asks clearly to Maria since no one else speaks English. "We finished too." The blonde says a bit surprised to see Setsuna and Rasetsu running away from him. Benji begin to walk to where Ayame is. "Where you are going?" Maria asks "I am going to get my ride." Benji says walking with out limping. He begun getting some distance and with the sensors they can hear him singing in a low tune "Aiiro ni chirabaru nanatsu no hoshi yo. Sorezore ni ima omoi wa tsunori uchikudakarete ai wo sakenda. Nigedasu koto mo dekizu ni yume ni sugaritsuku. Ikasama na hibi nado ni wa mou **makenai**." He sings walking away and they can't hear anymore. "I thought that he didn't know how to speak Japanese." Sakura says "I guess that he know how to sing in Japanese." Kohran says as they move away. "I am sure that he was emphasizing that 'he can't lose'." Kanna says "Well seeing what he did I have to agree with him." She adds looking away. They follow him and see the mass of corpses and that Benji is just avoiding then not caring about it. No one notices that Benji is still singing they are too busy arguing over the carnage that they are seeing. After join Ayame, enters in the car and sits on the back seat tired. The hanagumi is being loaded and they leave. "Here." Benji says handing to Ayame the sword. "I said that is a gift. It is yours." Ayame says. Benji is happy, but he still don't feel worthy of the blade. Later on the theater the hanagumi tries to talk to him. He just walk pass then saying that he is tired and walk to his room undressing on the middle of the way. He drops his clothes, weapons and bag pack on the floor and collapse in the bed. "I am tired." Benji says lying face down on the bed. "But even with the guaraná overdose I am too tired." Benji whispers before falling on a tired sleep.

On the briefing room

"What you meant hat you won't punish him!" the hanagumi shout at the same time. "He was following my orders." Yoneda answers "You where facing the wakijis many of then. Benji was send to eliminate those who where corrupted by Setsuna powers." The old man continues "But if the rod was destroyed…" Ogami begin to say and Ayame cuts him "Everyone would die anyway. The rod removed the civilians souls and corrupted they corpses turning then in demons. He did that to prevent that the army reached more civilians who where in shelters." Ayame says "I ordered him myself." She adds. "But the teikoku kagekidan was supposed to protect the people of Teito not kill then." Sakura says "Benji haven't taken the oath yet." Ayame says "Officially speaking Benji is not a member of the hanagumi yet." Ayame adds "But we can't let him just do that slip with out a punishment." Maria says "You think that killing demons that once where people, men, women, children and elders killing then all is something that he would just do with out any guilt?" Ayame says "He is not so cold Maria." Ayame adds knowing more about Benji than anyone else. Maria stays in silence digesting the information. "Benji is not a trained soldier or a professional assassin. He had a pretty normal life before coming here. Try to understand his point of view. He killed about two hundred of people tonight. Fought against Rasetsu and Setsuna. How you would be feeling doing all that in one night?" Ayame says to the hanagumi "See is not so easy blain him now, is it?" Ayame asks refraining her point "And add the fact that he has absolutely no control over his spiritual energy, how you would feel facing Setsuna and Rasetsu like that?" the hanagumi silence is the answer that Ayame gets. "And he is on a strange land where everyone speaks a language that he doesn't know how to speak." Sakura says breaking the tense silence. "That is right. Iris thinks that he must be feeling lonely. Everyone taking out Ayame-oneechan keeps distance of him. Even Iris." The young French girl says in a quiet tone. Ayame smiles seeing that at least she have made the ice wall between Benji and the hanagumi get a bit thinner. Especially with Sakura and Iris.

Sometime during the night

Benji is laying on his bed suffering from the side effects of an high dose of guaran�, namely two strong effects, the first the total lack of sleep and the second a powerful raging hard on forming a large tend on the slight loose shorts that is his usual pajamas. "This is another reason that I hate taking that mix. Guaraná is an aphrodisiac." Benji says to himself "And being six months with out getting laid doesn't help either." He adds recalling of his long passed accident with a girlfriend from his early teen's days "Boy Ciel got so mad when I told her that I got drunk and fucked Sabrina." Benji shivers recalling of the argue that they got over the phone because of that. Benji sighs "I am sure that I won't get laid anytime soon here." He says with his eyes closed. "I wouldn't bet on that if I was you." A familiar husky voice speaks to him in a Russian accented English. Benji eyes open in a flash "Maria!" Benji asks half shouting seeing the Russian blonde markswoman naked on his bed moving closer of him. "And I can see that you are really happy to see me." Maria says gently rubbing his erection, Benji gasps in pleasure and surprise "Wait a second Maria. That is too forward." Benji says trying to move her hand away. "Lie down and relax." Another voice says. "Kanna!" Benji gasps in surprise feeing two arms moving on his shoulders and pulling him back down. Benji notices that his bed is warm and in a different level of softness. And he sees Kanna gorgeous boson from below. She leans a bit forward looking down at him "You are enjoying the view?" she asks to him with a sexy smile. "What is going on!" Benji shouts in surprise feeling his pants being pulled down by two sets of hands, one in each leg. "Ayame! Sumire!" Benji shouts seeing the two naked brown haired women removing his pants revealing his large erection to the four sets of eyes belonging to the naked women. Jolts of pleasure run in his body. His complain is chocked when a warm pair of lips crushes against his. Kanna slide her tongue on Benji mouth. With an already conditioned reflex Benji twirls his tongue with hers. He feels two warm pressures on his palms and with the corner of his eyes he can see Sumire and Ayame pressing his hands against they breasts. "God how this can be happening!" Benji thinks trying hard to keep himself rational as his most primal urges try to take over his mind. He feels a warm wetness on his member and he easily recognizes the texture of the flesh "God Maria is licking me…" he thinks drowning in pleasure.

Benji jumps in the bed. His eyes scan the room with a worried rush. "God it was a dream!" Benji says in loud in Portuguese when he sees that he is alone. He sees his throbbing member "I don't know if I am happy or disappointed with that." Benji says lying down again. He looks at his watch and sigh "Morning already. And I don't feel rested." He mutters getting up. There is a knock on the door and Benji get up to answer it. "Ohayo Benji-kun." Ayame says to him "Ohayo Ayame." Benji says back. She smiles a smile that say 'I will tease you so much' "Answer me Benji-kun, is that your knife or you are happy to see me?" Ayame asks in a voice dripping with her teasing. Sumire is passing behind Ayame in her sleeping kimono. "So Benji-kun I am waiting your answer." Ayame says still teasing Benji. The ninja knows that she is teasing him and blush. "What you want Ayame?" he asks covering himself with the door. She chuckles lightly "We have classes today Benji-kun and we need to buy you new clothes." The major answers. "Give me a time to take a bath and dress up." Benji says to her. She smile naughtily and walk away "Don't make wait too long Benji-kun." She asks winking at him. He closes the door and looks down seeing his erection "Get down! The last thing that I need now is you all worked up! We are not getting any service here!" Benji says to himself.

Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil February 1, 2005

(First person point of view)

I walk on the familiar streets that lead to his house. I still can't believe in that. But as he told me once I will take care of then. I reach the metal gate and open then with the keys that he gave me. I move the two sets of stairs to his apartment. I enter in the house knowing that is unlocked. I hear the sound of someone changing. Since Victor is on the college must be Kaori. I greet her and she smiles sadly at me. I move on the small hall and reach his room. I see the 'organized mess' that he calls of room. I place the new edition of his favorite manga on the shelf. I move to Victor room and turn on the computer entering on his log. I smile seeing his hanagumi wallpaper. I get on the internet and open the NetCaptor. Knowing that as usual his favorite's pages are open waiting him to check on then, I see the unwanted pop up window appear blocking the NetCaptor. "Julietta I am going to visit him. You want to come with me?" I hear Kaori ask me in a slightly sad tone. "Sure. I was going to check on his mails and send the messages to his friends about that to tell then what happened. But I can do that later." I say back to her. "I guess that he is no longer writing those stories anymore right?" Aunt Kaori is sad with all this I can feel on her voice and see on her eyes when she talks, the least that I can to is go with her. She is suffering a lot since that day. The mouse jams when I turn the power key. I turn my back to the computer screen and move away to be with my best friend mother when she needs company.

(Third person point of view)

The pop screen closes revealing the NetCaptor screen. I Julietta looked back she would see that on the page where there is a list of stories under the address of the she had looked at the first title and the name behind it she would have a heart attack. And it says: Outcast. Chronicles of a lost writer. By Benji Himura

The computer turns off just before the red head Julietta looks again to be sure of the device shut down.

End of the chapter two:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer.

Japanese glossary:

Ai uchi: It is a term in kendo. It is a draw where both of the swordsmen die in the fight.

Watashi shinjiterimasu: It means 'I trust in you' in Japanese.

Tekko: Japanese cloth protection to the arms. An example Sango from Inu-Yasha uses it.

Fukushu: It means revenge in Japanese.

Demo anata: It means "But you".

Sorezore ni ima omoi wa tsunori uchikudakarete ai wo sakenda. Nigedasu koto mo dekizu ni yume ni sugaritsuku. Ikasama na hibi nado ni wa mou makenai: This is the first verse of the Inu-Yasha opening theme called grip. Here is the translated version Scattered about are seven purple stars. Thoughts are brought together by each, crushing our cry out for love. Unable to escape from it, we cling to our dreams. We won't lose anymore to the everyday trickery

Yaoi: It is the homosexual genre stories in manga, amine and stories.

Portuguese glossary:

A gata sabe acumpultura: Literally means "The babe know acumpulture."

Ela salvou minha vida. Vou pagar o favor: Literally means "She saved my live. I will repay the favor."

Vingança: Revenge

Muleki: Actually is a corrupted way to say moleque that means brat.


	4. And when things go wrong

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Chapter three: And when things go wrong

Teito August twenty third 1922

Benji grabs his clothes and walks to the shower room keeping the clothes in front of himself. After a freezing cold bath Benji erection fades and he moves back to his room. He reaches to his bag pack and carefully empties it on the floor. He places the palm top, a CD player, a CD case, a photo album and a battery charger back in the bag and he organizes a bunch of weapons on the floor around him. He picks the Fukushu and his knifes and places on the floor too. He places his right knee on the floor to not force his right ankle and he looks at his belongings.

The katana is on his left, the combat knife is in front of him, the butterfly is besides the knife, there are five metal rods of thirty centimeters each with a screw tip placed beside the other, the two tekkos are near of the rods one beside the other, there is a long and slender knife on the proper sheath near of the tekkos and metal baton.

"It is good that I was going to camp with the others. At least I have some clothes and weapons." Benji says in Portuguese checking his arsenal. "It is a good thing that we tend to practice on our camps." He adds with a wistful tone.

He reaches to the photo album and opens it. He sees a group picture. There is him on his usual t-shirt and jeans, Julietta wearing a tight tank top with military pants and jacket, a tall blonde with long hair wearing jeans and a button blue shirt, a girl with Japanese features with short black hair wearing jeans and a t-shirt, a teen with short brown hair wearing a tank top and a tight gym shorts and a woman with black hair and a graffiti black eyes with a pearly white skin that is wearing black overalls over a red shirt.

"I bet that you guys are worried." Benji says in Portuguese. "Juli, Kimihito, Yuki, Rosetta and Lisa I bet that you are all worried about me." He whispers closing the album and placing back on the bag. He opens another compartment and he retrieves few leather straps and he puts on a shirt, the chain mail and a long sleeved shirt over it and the leather straps. They are like a shoulder gun holster but with leather rings to hold on the weapons that are scattered in the floor.

Benji places the knifes on his waist horizontally, the metal rods on his back and the metal baton between his shoulder blades. He covers up with a black vest. "I am forgetting the cross." Benji says to himself. He scoops a small leather case and places on his belt and he places the bag pack under the bed and leave to have breakfast. Benji opens the door and see Sakura ready to knock on it. She looks surprised and confused.

"I think that I should say something." She thinks looking at Benji. To her surprise is Benji who break the silence "Ohayo gozaimasu." Benji says in a bad Japanese to Sakura. "…eh Ohayo gozaimasu!" Sakura says recovering from the initial shock

"Ayame-san told us that he speaks just a little bit of Japanese. Barely enough to greet someone or ask for food." Sakura thinks recalling of Ayame words. Benji moves besides Sakura and close his bedroom door and he begin to move away.

"Chotto mate kudasai!" Sakura cries to him. "Nani?" Benji says turning to her. "Eto...Asameshi!" Sakura spurts confused.

"Wakarimashita." Benji says continuing to move to the dinning hall. "I wonder how much Japanese he truly knows." Sakura thinks following the older man. In the dinning hall Benji seats on his usual spot. He can hear Kohran talking happily about something. Benji feels like something is moving around his guts. After the breakfast they move to the underground area and by Maria request Benji goes with then. But the brunet notices that the blonde is not really happy with his company. The hanagumi chat on the way. And they arrive in a large room, Benji sees Ayame and Yoneda there too and he notices the evil smirk on Kohran face.

"This is not good. That smile seems the ones that Juli gives when she got some idea that ends on me hurt." He thinks nervous. Benji stay few steps behind the hanagumi and Ayame moves to him. "I would like to introduce to you all, the new training dummy that I created." Kohran says and Ayame translate to Benji who is busy placing two of the metal rods together and placing then back and repeating it one more time. "I programmed it with the data of us. So we can practice with an opponent that can match our skills." Kohran says. Ayame looks at him not understanding why he is doing that. But he now has two sixty centimeters long metal rods on his back. Ayame could barely hear the two clicks of the rods locking together, especially with Kohran science talk. Ayame scans Benji and notices that he is with his tekkos and knifes.

"Why you are armed Benji-kun?" Ayame thinks looking at him. "I would like to ask to Kanna come forward and give the first performance test to the kishi." Kohran says. "Kishi means knight right?" Benji asks to Ayame in English. The major nods confirming. "How much Japanese you truly knows Benji?" Ayame asks "Just a bit. I know the meaning of few words. But I can't really talk." Benji answers. Benji takes a carefully look on the so called 'kishi'. It is a robot with about two meters tall that is basically what would be a man inside a full plate medieval armor. Benji notices that the abdomen, forearms and joints are covered in a black metal. And he can quickly see that is made of the same material of his chain mail. The robot have gauntlet like hands with armored wrists, elbows, knees and feet. The head is covered by a helmet with a thin mesh covering an optic sensor. And the chest plate adds more defenses to the machine.

"Hajime!" Kohran shouts and Kanna attacks the machine. Kanna powerful punches are blocked by the kishi metal hands. And then the machine counters attack. Benji feel his hairs standing on the end. The machine punches Kanna abdomen hard, another punch connected with Kanna jaw and a last one in her chest. Kanna coughs blood and Kohran tries to stop the kishi by remote commands. The kishi tosses Kanna hard on the floor and is about to punches Kanna again. The hanagumi watch in shock. And a sound of metal hitting metal is heard. Benji have slammed both rods in the kishi making it fall back feel meters. He quickly unites then forming a one hundred and twenty centimeters long staff and he holds it by the middle with his left hand and he leaves his right hand above the rod. The kishi moves trying to attack Benji who block the attacks with the staff.

"Kohran can you shut it down!" Ayame asks to the Chinese woman. "No! It is not accepting the commands!" the Chinese screams scared. "RUN!" Benji shouts in English "I can't hold him forever!"

"Hanagumi retreat!" Maria shouts moving to Kanna. She helps the Okinawan and they run away. "Iris!" Sakura shouts. Benji sees a bundle of blonde hair behind the kishi and he sees that Iris is sparking. The kishi realize it too and turns to charge Iris. Benji runs and slides between the robot legs and takes him down with the staff. Benji grabs Iris by the waist holding the staff like a sword and putting Iris over his left shoulder.

"Hurry Benji we are closing up this room!" Ayame shouts to him from the hall. He sees Maria retreating half carrying and half dragging Kanna. The kishi charges Benji. And Benji charges too. But Benji uses the staff as a pole and leaps over the robot. Benji change the grip on the staff and he lands hard on his feet cringing on pain on his right ankle. He runs to the door with the robot on his heels. Benji tosses the staff over the hanagumi and he takes a leap. Ogami and Sakura close the door and Benji lands hard on his side with Iris in top of his chest. They hear the kishi slamming on the door. And a new set of metal doors cover the first one. Benji is breathing hard and in short and painful gasps.

"Damn…now I am sure. I got cracked ribs." Benji thinks "Iris Daijobu!" the hanagumi members asks to the shocked girl who nods confirming. "Gee, never mind me." Benji says in English placing Iris on the floor so he can breathe. He sits gets up and reaches the staff. And Ayame hands it to him. "Good job." Ayame says smiling at him "You saved two of our members." She adds as he grabs the staff. The pounding keeps sounding. "How long to that thing runs out of power?" Benji asks to Kohran knowing that Ayame will translate it. "It won't. It is moved by a spirit crystal. And in that room have the kishi weapons. It is only matter of time until he breaks out." Kohran says and Ayame translate. Benji lets out a stream of curses in Portuguese letting out what they all are thinking. "I guess that you all should be going now." Benji says in English

"But why?" Maria asks "She programmed that machine to be the perfect opponent to the members of the hanagumi. That means Kanna fighting skills and Ogami strategic thinking. That for an example. And that means…" Benji answers and Ayame cuts in "That the members of the hanagumi can't face it. Since it knows how you will react." Maria looks at Ayame not believing on her ears. "You want to place him to destroy that machine that knows all about us? You think that he is better than us?" Maria asks in a cold tone

"Actually Maria I know that you all are far more experienced than he is in battle. But his style is something that the kishi never saw before. And as you know he is skilled. I am sure that he can deal with that. And no. I don't believe that he is better than you or the others. I just believe that now he is the most suited to this task." Ayame answer in a calm tone.

"And why we all can't fight?" Maria says "Even adding him we can defeat that machine." "Because he needs experience. His techniques lack spirit. His style is untamed. And he is an instinctive fighter. And above all that he is an amateur comparing to Kanna and Sakura who lived they lives for they art." Ayame says to Maria and sees her eyes grow wide with shock "He is an amateur!" the blonde shouts in English in shock. The hanagumi hears the dialogue with out understand since it is in English.

"She is right. I am not a trained soldier or a martial artist like Kanna and Sakura. I do have martial training. But not enough to compare to then. I have fighting experience against humans. But nothing more than that." Benji says in English "I am so……." Benji sentence is cutted because Maria punches him hard in the ribs. "Son of a bitch!" Maria says in Russian. Benji feels some of his weakened his ribs break with the punch "I don't believe that an amateur could do this to me!" she shouts in English on his face before walking away. Benji breaths hard feeing the broken ribs poking his lungs.

"Give her time to digest the information." Ayame says "Now let's get in the briefing room and Kohran will tell you what weapons the kishi got." She adds and they walk away. Iris moves closer of Benji staying deep on his personal space. "Okay to begin with I will keep this simple." Kohran says and Ayame translates to Benji. "The kishi is made of steel and it was made to resist concussive damage and bullets. So only attacks with cutting power can do some damage. That is passes by the armor. The same goes to concussive strikes. It will only slow him down." Kohran says pointing into few schematics

"It doesn't have a weak point and it has the must cutting edge technology on it. Honestly I don't know how you will beat him." She adds looking at Benji with a bit of disbelieve and hope. "Where are the energy supply and the processor?" Benji asks and Ayame translates. "The crystal is on the chest. And is heavily armored. It can't be breached. And the processor is on the head. And is also armored. You can't break it." Kohran says bitterly "My pride is our ruin."

Benji removes the vest and the leather stripes to the embarrassment of the hanagumi and kazegumi girls. He stays with the chain mail and he puts the vest back on. "Why the vest?" Sumire asks and Ayame translates. "It is made of silk. And silk is hard to cut." Benji adds closing the vest up to the last button. He attaches the last rod on the staff. "A staff won't do any good." Ogami says.

Benji gives a last spin on the freshly added rod and a twenty five centimeters double edged blade pops out from the tip. "This is a spear." Benji says "And why you were carrying that around?" Ayame asks "Bing chased by then twice in one week is more than enough to make me walk armed and armored." Benji says. Ayame can't help on nodding. He checks his knifes and sheathe then again and he pulls the metal baton and he places it on his shoulder blades with a holster. "So what weapons does it got? A sword maybe an axe?" Benji asks

"Actually have a machine gun and a grenade launcher." Kohran says "Okay next time you do one with out weapons or I will beat you up. Understood?" Benji says. Kohran nods when Ayame says "If this happens next time I will be waiting." Kohran says. "Seal up the exits. I will need every single space to fight. So it is better that it don't have people around." Benji says and Ayame nods. Benji stays more ten minutes hearing everything that he can from the kishi in hope to use it to destroy it and get out alive. Benji walks away and sits in front of the door hearing explosions inside.

"It founded the grenade launcher." Benji says. "It seems so." Ayame voice come by from a speaker. "What you plan on doing?" she asks "I don't plan. I will improvise." Benji says getting up when the door being to bulge. Over his shoulders there is a small shoulder protection that Ayame handed to him. What he doesn't know is that the small piece of armor is not an armor. But a monitor for spirit energy and body functions. That is mainly informing a computer about Benji vital status. The door explodes and Benji moves to the side of it. The kishi moves with the armed arm first. Benji slams his spear on the large grenade launcher over the barrel aiming on the chamber with the grenade and he run away. The kishi fires. Or at least tries. The jammed gun explodes in a large could of smoke and fire.

"One down. One to go." Benji mutters. His words are cut by a spray of bullets. Benji feels then slamming on his back only to being stopped by the mail. He lost his breath and jumps inside one room coughing hard. "There goes more ribs." He thinks seeing a small amount of blood on the floor after he coughs.

"Benji what is wrong?" Ayame voice came from the speakers. "I am recovering my breath." Benji says in a whisper knowing that the armor will pick it up "What is the machine gun rounds caliber?" Benji says "Thirty eight. Kohran says that since they where under pressure they used revolvers rounds in an altered machine gun." Ayame says "That explains why the mail stopped the bullets. Anything more powerful and I would be dead." Benji says in a cold tone happy for Kohran problems. He can hear the heavy footsteps from the machine.

"Where the machine gun is attached?" Benji asks recalling that the kishi was holding the grenade launcher with both hands. "It is attached to the right shoulder." Ayame says. Benji can hear Kohran talking on the background. Benji sees a chain over a pile of boxes and picks it. He runs out of the room and the kishi aims at him. But Benji with a skillful move wraps the chain around the kishi legs preventing it from turning on him to shoot. Benji reaches on his belt and pull a thick twenty centimeters long metal bar. And it unfolds to a cross and he tosses it on the kishi. The cross cuts the machine gun feeding rail and nails itself on a wall. Benji runs to the kishi and slams the spear on the weapon and run away grabbing the cross on the move. The kishi rips the chain and run after Benji. The sharp cross in his left hand and the spear on the right, he turns to the right hearing the machine skidding on the floor.

In the briefing room.

"So far so good." Ayame says seeing the images from the security cameras and one from the kishi. "How is the diagnosis going?" Ayame asks to Kohran. "Bad. I can't found what caused this." The Chinese says. In the kishi camera there is many graphics and information concerning the fight. "But I don't think that he can win." Kohran says looking at the image and seeing Benji turning another corner. "He just got into the loading dock." Kohran says recognizing the surroundings. All of sudden the image shakes hard.

In the loading dock.

Benji slams the spear on the kishi head as he entered in the docks. It makes the CPU slower and Benji nails the blade tip of the spear on the kishi right knee. Benji feels the blade snap when tucked on the metal joints. He pulls the remaining blade and hits the back of the kishi left knee making it fall. Benji slams the remaining blade on the back of the fallen machine shoulder feeing the joints give bit by bit under the broken blade but never breaking the metal mesh. The kishi tries to attack Benji who leaps back barely dodging it. The kishi gets up and using a single moment where Benji weak ankle unbalanced him packs a powerful attack with the knee on Benji chest. Benji lets out an odd sound when the air is harshly expelled from his lungs and many of his already cracked ribs break with the impact. He coughs blood and falls few meters away. The kishi dashes at Benji, who raise the spear forcing the bladeless tip on the floor. The kishi speed makes the spear bury deep inside the machine abdomen. Benji take a deep breath and tackles the machine down and removing the spear run away in a cat walk putting distance between himself and the killing machine so he can recover his breath.

In the briefing room.

"Kishi mobility fallen to sixty percent. Attack power of the left arm reduced to fifty three percent." Kasumi says reading the data. "That is impossible! My kishi was supposed to be unbeatable! He doesn't have weak spots!" Kohran says not believing on the data. "He created weak spots Kohran. Nothing like the good and old will to survive to turn a man in a fighting machine." Ayame says to the Chinese. "And it is good that he is weakening the machine. After all it is trying to kill us." Sakura says and the others nod. They see Benji on the cat walk breathing hard. He leans in a rail and recover as the kishi moves in a slow pace to him. The kishi accelerate on the catwalk making the metal frame shake.

In the catwalk.

Benji waits the kishi get close enough and slam the staff on the kishi. Sparks flow on the contact and Benji raises the lower part of the staff hitting the kishi in the jaw. The ninja knows that the damage was bellow minimal. But when all the minimal damages are joined there is a serious damage. The kishi attacks back and Benji barely blocks the punches with the spear. Benji tosses the spear hard in to a wall and the remaining two inches of the blade burry on the wall nailing the spear on the walk. Benji packs a combo of punches on the kishi head. His breath is short and in an unstable rhythm. The kishi armor is bended to inside in many spots, some are long and thin that was made from the spear and some are large and circular made from the metal enforced punches from Benji. The ninja can hear the hydraulics pistons whining inside the armor because the damage. Is not enough to disable the machine. But enough to make it a bit less dangerous to a wounded and tired ninja. The barrage of punches gets thinner and the machine strikes back. Benji ducks avoiding a punch. But he hears something snapping. He looks up and sees that the kishi broke one of the metal bars that hold the catwalk. And under then there is a ten meters tall fall. Benji is blocking the attacks with his armored arms and feeling that under the heavy pounding the hardened steel of his tekkos are bending. Benji unsheathes his larger combat knife and stabs the kishi on the left shoulder. He feels the joint give in and he punches his own hard up forcing the blade up and ripping off the kishi arm. A powerful jet of hydraulic fluid gushes in the air staining the ninja, the catwalk and the floor bellow then. Benji feels the catwalk rocking and the metal screeching. He turns his back to the machine and tries to run away. He sheathes the knife and grabs the cross. He removes a thin steel wire from the left tekko inner wrist and attaches on a small clip on the cross and tosses it hard into a beam on the roof. The cat walk gives in. Benji screams in pain. The kishi is gripping on his right ankle and both of then are hanging on the air. The steel cable is overly tense and the cross is only wrapped around the beam. Benji feels every joint from his left arm stretch and pop. He kicks the kishi head with his left foot while holding on his left write with his right hand to ease the stress on his joints. Seeing his efforts useless Benji draws his larger knife again. The kishi is slowly climbing on Benji leg. Benji hits the kishi forehead with the butt of the hilt that is enforced to act like a hammer. And the kishi helmet bends inwardly with each strike.

In the briefing room.

"Cranial damage in five percent!" Kasumi shouts. The hanagumi watch in shock by the kishi visor Benji pounding the kishi head. And in each blow the camera fills with static. They see Benji toss the knife on the air inverting his grip on it and he begin to stab the kishi with the blade. And then the kishi hand let go and the camera go black. In the depot camera they see Benji hanging by his arm breathing hard and slowly swinging back and forth.  
"What he plans on doing?" Sumire asks. "I don't think that I want to know." Kohran says.

In the catwalk

Benji swings and sees that he is almost reaching the other side. He cuts the steel cable with the knife and lands hard on the remaining catwalk. But the catwalk begins to give in. Benji gets up fast and moves as fast as he can with out putting his right foot down. He leaps the last meters holding on the doorframe. The cat walk falls and Benji slowly climb up to the solid ground. He leans on his back breathing hard trying to get as much air as he can on his wounded lungs. The knife is few inches away from his hand and the tekkos palm blades are open. The shoulder armor from Ayame is broken and he tries to sit up. After a couple minutes he manages to sit. He can hear from the loading docks the sound of wood breaking. And he knows that the kishi is still operational. Benji hides the palm blades and sheath the knife. He gets up and walks leaning on the wall moving to finish off the machine. Under his right roof a train of blood forms. On the corner of his lips there are two thin lines of blood.

"I wonder how much more I can take. I am just human and everything hurts." Benji thinks before reaching a stairway. "Just what I needed now." Benji mutters in Portuguese. He slowly makes his way down. But he slides on his blood. The sound of metal meeting metal are heard as well the sound of bones breaking and then silence reign in the empty stairway.

End of the chapter three:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

Japanese glossary:

Ohayo gozaimasu: Means good morning.

Chotto mate kudasai: Means please wait.

Asameshi: Means breakfast.

Wakarimashita: Means understood.

Kishi: Means knight.

Omake: Means premium or an extra.

Ecchi: Means pervert.

Hayaku: Means hurry or fast.

**OMAKE:**

Benji talking to Ayame half naked and with a hard on.

Benji jumps in the bed. His eyes scan the room with a worried rush. "God it was a dream!" Benji says in loud in Portuguese when he sees that he is alone. He sees his throbbing member "I don't know if I am happy or disappointed with that." Benji says lying down again. He looks at his watch and sigh "Morning already. And I don't feel rested." He mutters getting up. There is a knock on the door and Benji get up to answer it. "Ohayo Benji-kun." Ayame says to him "Ohayo Ayame." Benji says back. She smiles a smile that say 'I will tease you so much' "Answer me Benji-kun, is that your knife or you are happy to see me?" Ayame asks in a voice dripping with her teasing. Sumire is passing behind Ayame in her sleeping kimono. "So Benji-kun I am waiting your answer." Ayame says still teasing Benji. The ninja knows that she is teasing him and blush. "And what you would do if I say that I am really happy to see you?" Benji says with a naughty smile. "Well then I would get in your pants and I would take out my delay." Ayame says pushing Benji inside of his room while opening her shirt with one hand. "And I really need some hot and steamy sex." She adds closing the door.

Same scene another possible way.

"Answer me Benji-kun, is that your knife or you are happy to see me?" Ayame asks in a voice dripping with her teasing. Sumire is passing behind Ayame in her sleeping kimono. "So Benji-kun I am waiting your answer." Ayame says still teasing Benji. The ninja knows that she is teasing him and blush. "Well actually Ayame I am happy to see Sumire." Benji says pointing to Sumire who is walking behind her with her sleeping kimono. "I am so glad to hear that!" Sumire shouts roughly pushing Ayame to a side and hugging Benji tightly and rubbing herself on his groin. "Take me!" Sumire shouts before they enter in the room locking the door. "Where she learned English?" Ayame says rubbing her sore butt. "God you are so big, strong, handsome and muscular!" Sumire shouts inside the room "Give me children!" Sumire adds. Ayame gets up and pounds on the door "Let me in! I want it too!" she shouts while she hears the shouts of pleasure from Sumire "I want to fuck!" Ayame shouts slamming in the door being watched by the others members of the hanagumi who where wake by the howls of pleasure of Sumire and the shouts of jealousy from Ayame.

Maria and Benji ai uchi.

A hissing sound cuts his thoughts and he raises his left arm hardening his muscles. A loud slap echoes in the dark halls. Benji feels the sting of the pain on his forearm. He can see white arm connected on his arm. Before the person can attack again Benji twists his arm grabbing the attacker wrist and with his right hand he grabs the attacker neck and slams him into a near wall. An odd clicking sound is heard. As well a muffled gasp. Pressed between Benji body and the wall is the also tall form of Maria Tachibana. Her eyes are half closed and slightly unfocused showing that she is enjoying the kiss. Benji is softly caressing the back of her neck just where her hair begins to grow sending extra jolts of pleasure to the blonde markswoman. Benji forces his tongue on Maria mouth making her eyes get wide with surprise. He teases and caresses her tongue and soon she reciprocates the kiss. After a full minute Benji breaks the kiss pulling his tongue back to his mouth. "Ai shiteru." Benji says calmly looking on Maria eyes. Her face shows the shock that is filling her mind and for a minute she only stares at him. She smiles warmly at him and then she kisses him. And the keep making out on the hallway.

Maria and Benji ai uchi 2 another possible way.

A hissing sound cuts his thoughts and he raises his left arm hardening his muscles. A loud slap echoes in the dark halls. Benji feels the sting of the pain on his forearm. He can see white arm connected on his arm. Before the person can attack again Benji twists his arm grabbing the attacker wrist and with his right hand he grabs the attacker neck and slams him into a near wall. An odd clicking sound is heard. As well a muffled gasp. Pressed between Benji body and the wall is the also tall form of Maria Tachibana. Her eyes are half closed and slightly unfocused showing that she is enjoying the kiss. Benji is softly caressing the back of her neck just where her hair begins to grow sending extra jolts of pleasure to the blonde markswoman. Benji forces his tongue on Maria mouth making her eyes get wide with surprise. He teases and caresses her tongue and soon she reciprocates the kiss. After a full minute Benji breaks the kiss pulling his tongue back to his mouth. "Ai shiteru." Benji says calmly looking on Maria eyes. Her face shows the shock that is filling her mind and for a minute she only stares at him. She smiles at him and then she hits Benji in the groin with her knee. She let go of him and look down at him while he holds his broken part kneeled in pain "That is for breaking my fingers." She says coldly. She turns her back to him and walk away "And I am dating Sakura." She adds before turning a corner "Damn. I am too late." Benji says in pain.

Kohran secret use for the kishi.

"Now Kanna can you help me to demonstrate the kishi?" Kohran says to the Okinawan

"Sure. My pleasure." Kanna says cracking her knuckles. "Hajime!" Kohran shouts. And from the kishi groin a large phallic device pop out and begin to vibrate. Kohran goes into a deep red shade.

"Kohran no ecchi!" Benji says in a teasing tone. The kishi rips Kanna kimono top "Help!" Kanna shouts trying to get away from the machine. Kohran face get even redder. "Benji go help Kanna." Ayame says

"Why me?" Benji asks not taking his eyes from the show. "Because I am telling you to do so. If you save her I will do something nice with you later." Ayame says.

"Okay. One rescue on the way." Benji says moving to help Kanna. "I am charging it." Benji says joining the rods.

"Hayaku daskete!" Kanna shouts while the kishi rips her pants. "Hai, Hai." Benji says slamming the staff on the kishi vibrator breaking it. The machine let out sparks and stops.

"That was easy." Benji says hitting his hands together as if he was removing dust from them.

"Arigato!" Kanna says giving on Benji a tackle like hug and kissing him. "Lucky!" Benji mutters before Kanna kisses him. "Kohran what I have said about you making out sex toys!" Ayame says looking at the Chinese.

"To call you first to test then." Kohran says making Ayame blush. Most of the hanagumi girls have fainted when Kanna was being attacked. Only Sumire and Maria are still conscious. Ogami is lying on a pool of blood that is coming from his nose and Yoneda is on the floor with his right hand over his heart and he is very pale and not breathing.

"Give me some space ape-woman! I also want him!" Sumire says taking out her kimono and joining Kanna and Benji on the floor. Maria sigh in disbelieve.

What might happen if Ayame asked why Benji is armed.

"Why you are armed Benji-kun?" Ayame asks seeing that Benji is carrying weapons. "I was chased by those girl two times in one week and they tried to kill me in the two times. So now I will strike back." Benji says to Ayame.

"And how you plan on doing that?" Maria asks provoking "Like this!" Benji says punching Maria. And the new project of Kohran is forgotten and a huge fight involving the entire hanagumi begins. "I should not have asked that." Ayame says covering her eyes in disgust.


	5. Man against machine

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Chapter four: Man against machine

In the briefing room

"The kishi is moving again. All frame received damage. Operational parameters have all fallen on thirty percent." Kasumi says "That adding the previous damage?" Ayame asks "No ma'an. The previous damage was not added." Kasumi says.

"Where is Benji?" Ayame asks "We can't found him on the security cameras from the area where he was moving. He must be hiding from then or he is on a blind spot." Tsubaki says

"This is not good." Ogami says "ma'an permission to go assist Himura on his task." The lieutenant asks.

"Denied." Yoneda says "But sir…" "Don't argue." Yoneda says cutting Ogami. The young man stays quiet. "Where is Maria-san?" Sakura asks looking around the room "She walked away before we came here remember?" Sumire says "But she might be in danger." Sakura says

"Look so far she hasn't show in any cameras. So it is safe to assume that she is on the theater where we don't have cameras." Ayame says "She is safe." Sakura stays quiet looking at the major.

In the loading dock

The kishi moves over broken boxes and he grabs a metal bar with his remaining hand and he keeps moving to the direction where Benji is.

On the stair way

Benji is hanged by his left arm on the metal stairs. Under him there is a large fall. Blood drips from his right foot. His palm lays flat on the steel frame of the small platform of the stairs. He swings a bit unconscious. He cringes with pain and slowly wakes. "Damn…this hurt like hell." He says in Portuguese feeling jolts of pain running on his body.

"So much to have endorphin running on my veins now." He adds looking around. He slowly moves. He gasps in pain but he feels the adrenaline beginning to run on his veins again and this time a numbness follow as the endorphin follows. Benji looks up and see the blades of his shuko on the mesh. But one is missing and he knows that it broke with the impact. He raises his right arm and curses feeling his broken ribs poking his internal organs. He grabs the mesh with his right hand and slowly pulls himself up.

"Keep moving. 'Groan' Forget the pain. 'Gasp' The pain is good. It means that I am alive. 'low growl' It pumps adrenaline on my system." Benji says in Portuguese pulling himself up. Now both of his hands are over the mesh and one of his left hand blades snaps. Benji slides back hard and he grasps the mesh cursing as his wound ache. His grip is weakening but he grips harder. His right hand slides and another blade break on his left palm. A gloved hard grabs his right wrist. He looks up and sees a shadowed form. He feels a familiar perfume. And he holds on the wrist that is helping him.

"Thanks Maria." He says forcing himself up while she pulls him. He feels her other hand gripping on his back to help him up. "Thank me later." She says with her voice low with the effort. Soon he is back on the platform. Maria is breathing hard with the effort and so is Benji.

"Men weight more than they look." Maria says in English. "I weight eighty kilos." He says in English too. "Still too much." She says "You are not so under it." Benji says recalling of Maria personal file that he have on his computer. "I bet somewhere around the sixty. Maybe sixty five." He says. By Maria face he knows that he is right. And he is right. "And how you know that?" she asks suspicious

"I guessed by your height." Benji says hiding the real reason. "You don't look very good." Maria says looking at the bleeding, tired, war-torn and oiled-speckled Benji. "I have seen better days." Benji says looking at Maria and seeing her on her uniform. "And you look hot." Benji says with a smirk. Maria blushes and mutters something in Russian. Benji don't understand but he is sure that she called him of pervert. Benji grabs on the rail with his right hand and pulls himself up.

"Hey take easy! I heard something breaking before I found you!" Maria shouts in English. "Those were my ribs and my left wrist." Benji says groaning in pain but now standing on his left foot. "You need medical care." Maria says "I need destroy that robot first. Then I go to a hospital. If I live so long." Benji says trying to take a step, but his ankle is not helping.

"You are insane." Maria says standing too. "And you are sexy." He says with a smile. "I can toss you down there again." She says menacing in English. "And I could take you with me." He says smiling in pain. Maria passes Benji right arm over her shoulders and passes her left arm around his waist.

"Don't get any ideas. I will help you get down the stairs and only that." Maria says in a cold tone. "Fine. Then show me where I can found metal and tools." Benji says "And why you need that?" Maria asks while they slowly move down. "I need something to patch up my broken joints and something to give that piece of junk some massive damage." Benji says.

"You are insane for sure." Maria says "But I guess that Kohran workshop will do just fine." She adds. They stay in silence the entire way to Kohran workshop. Benji feels curious about why Maria is avoiding the cameras but he keeps his mouth shut. After all she knows how to move there and he is not in his best shape to run away from her blast. Soon they reach Kohran workshop. Benji gasps in surprise seeing the mess that is the large room. With pieces of metal and blueprints all over the place. Benji grabs a flat metal bar and moves to a large table and bends it forming an L then he picks another one and bends it forming a tight U Maria looks at him with curiosity. Then bends the two tips outwards and with a hammer he presses then tight around the sides.

"What you are doing?" She asks curious. "You will see." Benji says he founds a blowtorch and he founds a welding mask. After weld the two pieces together he cool the on a faucet. He sits on a chair and removes his right boot. Maria gasps seeing the sock dripping blood. Benji turn the boot upside down and more blood comes out. He puts the metal frame on his foot with the longer bars up on his calf and he found some wires and he ties the odd looking splint on his leg. He frowns while trying to move his foot and the metal frame don't budge.

"Good. Tight but not uncomfortable." He says now putting on his boot again. This time leaving space for the splint but tight enough to not slip out from his foot. Benji get up. He takes few steps happy to see that his weight is now being held by the frame that transfers it to his knee.

"Now I can walk again. And now for my wrist." Benji says picking another bar and tying his tekko and tying the tip on the palm bar fully immobilizing his left hand. But he still can move his fingers. "And what you plan on doing now?" Maria asks feeling curious about the Brazilian man plans. Benji grabs a long metal bar and begins to sharp it on a motored emery.

"You will see." Benji says while sparks fly on the air. "You are not worried about the kishi?" Maria asks. "Not much. The damage will slow him down. If this ends fast enough I can meet him on the halls." Benji says sharpening the long and curved bar. Maria picks Benji right tekko that is on a desk and exam it with curiosity.

"You used this to climb, but where you got leverage with this?" she asks to him. "Press the small switch on the right side of the palm blade." Benji says still focused on sharpening the bar. Maria does and four blades eject from the palm. "Wow! This so nice feature." Maria says

"It is. But sadly is not strong enough when comparing to the real shuko. But it helps." Benji says "Shuko?" Maria asks "Ninja climbing claws. It can also be used to fight." Benji says "I see. Since these ones are mobile they are weaker." Maria says understanding, Benji nods confirming. One hour later Benji is holding a long hand made sword. "This might help." Benji says happy with the job. Using some wires he makes an improvised hilt and a guard.

"So can you give that back now?" Benji says to Maria who is still looking at the tekko now looking at a razor sharp steel wire that came from the inner wrist.

"This is for climbing?" Maria asks "It is too sharp." She adds "That is not for climbing." Benji says picking it back and seeing the wire being rolled again inside a hidden compartment. "This is for cutting." Benji says. Maria understands the use. It is made to strangle or cut of heads like a piano wire. Benji bust in laugh and Maria looks at him confused.

"What is so funny?" She asks curious "It is half past nine in the morning. It is not even close of the lunch time and the day will turn worse!" Benji says between laughs. Maria doesn't understand but the day has only begun and the accident happened. Benji grabs a long chain and he leaves the room and Maria follows him.

"Let's pay a visit to the armory I need to get some armor piercing bullets." Maria says "I don't mind if you get then. But the kishi is my kill." Benji says.

"Just in case that you die." Maria says plainly. Benji hides his displeasure at her statement Maria just leads the way while Benji carefully wraps the chain around his left arm. "How you knew that it was me helping you in the stairs?" Maria asks breaking the silence and the metal against metal sound of Benji wrapping the chain around his arm.

"I felt your perfume. You uses lily scented shampoo and soap. As well a lily scented perfume. So it was an easy guess." Benji says in a casual tone. "You must like of someone named Yuri. If I am right in Japanese yuri means lily." He adds casually. He can't see but Maria frown and her eyes show sadness. But Benji knows that he just hitted in a weak spot, after all he knows about Yuri death. He sighs a bit. He don't like to hurt people, but Maria asked for it when she said 'just in case that you die' if she said in a normal tone that wouldn't bothered him since he knows that he is half dead anyway, but her tone let it know that she is actually hopping to him drop dead. So he decided to be mean to her, but just a bit. Benji stop walking and look back.

"Run." He says to Maria. "What?" She asks quickly wiping the beginning of her tears. "I said run. The kishi is close." Benji says "But how…" Just run!" Benji shouts before Maria can finish her question. His tone makes her believe that he mean it. And she begins to hear metal hitting metal and run to the armory. Benji grips on the crude made tachi and he races to the kishi. He pulls the sword back and gives a slash. The blade leaves a trail of sparks because the tip is touching the floor. The blade connects with a steel pipe and more sparks flow.

In the briefing room

"I spotted Maria! The kishi is being attacked by some invisible force!" the shouts of Yuri and Tsubaki mix as they shout what they see on the video feed. "Maria first! Where is she?" Yoneda says "In the area six heading to the armory!" Kasumi shouts.

"Now the kishi!" Yoneda orders "The kishi is on the same hall. But he is being attacked by something invisible. And the attacks and the damages don't stop coming." Tsubaki says "It is not seeing the enemy?" Ayame asks. "No. The attacks come from straight ahead and still there is no sign of the attacker. The security camera only shows the kishi taking hits after hit and the armor is denting with slashes." Tsubaki adds.

"Nothing is appearing on the camera? How then the kishi is taking damage." Kohran asks to no one in particular. "It would be much faster if Benji could only zap the kishi." Ayame says recalling the alignment of his powers. "What? Ayame-han can you explain your comment?" Kohran asks

"Benji spirit energy flows into electricity attacks. Remember his attack against the wakiji? Or the power surge in the hospital?" Ayame questions Kohran "That is it! Benji is attacking the wakiji!" Kohran shouts.

"And how he does it with out being seen?" Ogami asks "He must be using his powers to jam the cameras and optical sensors of the kishi. That is why we can't see the attacker. The cameras can't see him." Kohran says "You mean that he is invisible to the kishi?" Sakura asks.

"That is right. He must spread an aura of electricity that jams optical sensors and another technological tracking ways." Kohran says "So he is a techno ninja?" Kanna asks not sure of what she is saying. "That is right. That is exactly what he is. A ninja that can get totally invisible by electronics and cameras." Kohran says "No wonder that he broke in the theater." Sumire says

"That is a lie. Benji don't even know how to use his energy. Especially to something that complex." Ayame thinks on his defense.

In the loading dock

Benji cutted the steel pipe from the kishi in pieces. His improvised sword is dented and blunt. The kishi armor has uncountable gashes in various depths. Benji packs an extra powerful attack thankful for the adrenaline rush on his system prevents him from feeling the pain that comes from his wounds. The kishi falls near of a door far from Benji and he gets up and makes a retreat. Benji sigh content because he just made the machine fall back. His breath is short and ragged. Benji takes a knee. He rests his weight on his left foot and on the right knee. He rests his left arm over his knee. Blood drips from the tekko and his hand lays limp with blood oozing by his fingers and dripping on the floor. His right ankle also bleeds. The blood oozes from the boot sewing and joints. He nails the tachi on the floor holding the blunt blade with his right hand. His mouth is open as he tries to take as much air as he can inside his blood filled lungs. His eyes are foggy and he slowly closes then. Taking out the sound of his ragged breathing the only sound on that large room is from the blood drops hitting the floor forming a crimson pool under him.

In the hallway

Maria runs to the loading dock. She is carrying a machine gun, a bag pack, a gun belt filled with bullets and her revolver on the holster on her hip. "I can't hear the battle. It is over or moved to another place?" Maria wonders on loud. With the sound of the ammo rattling she can't hear the soft sounds that are produced inside the loading dock just a couple of meters away. But she can feel the very familiar scent of blood mixed with hydraulic fluid. And she knew very well that Benji was soaked on his own blood and the kishi fluids. Unlike she let out she didn't smiled or even smirked at the thought. He fought hard to protect then even being by far the more inexperienced of then all taking out Iris. He couldn't even use his spiritual energy. Maria loads a bullet in the machine gun chamber and prepares herself to the worse.

End of the chapter four:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

Japanese glossary:

Tekko: Ninja climbing claws. Can be used as a weapon to block swords or to climb walls.

Yuri: Means lily. It is also a common girl name. Sometimes used by boys too.

Tachi: It can also be called of taichi or no-daichi. Tachi means long sword.

Sukebe: It means bold person. But can also means someone bold enough to go groping on girls and doing others indecent things.

Chikan: It means sexual pervert. But is truly an insult not so gentle as hentai or ecchi. It is also used to describe rapists.

Yarashi: It means indecent.

Yaro: It can mean man. But is also an insult that means scoundrel. Or can mean "you fool!"

Baka: It means idiot.

Aho: Other way to call someone of idiot.

Bakatare: It means something like asshole.

Bakayaro: It can mean fool or jerk.

**OMAKE:**

Benji guessing Maria weight:

"Well I guess that you must weight at least sixty five." Benji says in a casual tone. "At least!" Maria says with her voice raising an octave. But Benji in his actual state misses it. "Yeah. Maybe more. I am quite used to the feminine body. And from what I saw yesterday you seemed to sag a bit." Benji adds absent minded.

"Sag!" Maria asks with her voice raising another octave. "You got a really nice set of tits and a great ass. But you need to work out then a bit more they are flaccid. It really shows up in those tight pants. And the panty line is really easy to see thru. You are using black or another dark color. It really shows up when you used white over it." Benji spurts recalling over the many lectures that his ex-girlfriend gave to him about not using strong colored underwear with white or light toned clothes.

"It shows!" Maria eyebrow twitches with her voice raising a bit more. "I am sure that Ogami must enjoy the view." Benji says looking at her moving hips from behind. "That explains why he never ran faster than me!" Maria voice shakes when she says it. "Or faster than the others girls." She adds recalling the others attacks.

"I heard that he have a bromide collection of you girls." Benji states casually "I am pretty sure that he 'homage' you girls very often seeing those pictures of you all in different costumes." Maria turns into a deep shade of crimson with Benji words.

"If you want I can give you few exercises to prevent any more sagging and to firm your ass and tits. It really works." Benji says trying to be helpful. "Sukebe!" Maria shouts punching Benji hard on the jaw. He falls on his butt.

"Ogami no chikan!" Maria shouts with an evil shine on her eyes. "Benji no yarashi sukebe!" she adds moving away. "Yaro! Baka! Aho! Bakatare! Bakayaro!" Benji hear Maria cursing in Japanese before disappearing into a corner. And he can still hear her cursing in Russian for a while.


	6. Prove of worth

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Chapter five: Prove of worth

Maria walks inside the loading dock and she gasp at the sight of Benji kneeled with the sword in his right hand. "Is he dead?" she asks to herself while moving to him. She steps back when she sees Benji eyes open all of sudden, the angle and the eerie glow on then makes Maria shiver for a second.

"What took you so long?" Benji asks in a husky and tired voice. "What you are doing like that? You should be after the kishi." Maria says embarrassed from being admonished by Benji. "I was waiting for you." He says moving to the hall that the kishi entered.

"You are too weird. Others would not be so excited about going after a machine in your state." Maria states seeing Benji war-torn clothes. She moves after him. He bends down to pick something and Maria sees a cross with a long steel wire on it.

"What is that?" Maria asks seeing the odd looking tool. "This is my cross shuriken. It is not exactly a shuriken but does the job pretty well." Benji says removing the long wire and folding the cross and placing on his belt pocket. He wraps the wire around his hand before pocketing it. As they walk he ties the knifes on his thighs.

"You will use only that against the kishi?" Maria asks to Benji. "I don't have any other weapons with me. But the kishi is pretty damaged now. So my knifes will do the job." Benji says between short breaths. Maria notices that he is not talking much and his short and quick breaths. "He is not in a good shape. If I let him die Ayame will be disappointed. I will aid him now. I will set our scores later." Maria thinks looking at Benji back. Soon they reach the kishi. Before they can react bullets fly. And they don't leave Maria machine gun. But from a machine gun the kishi.

"Where he found that gun!" Benji shouts from behind a metal door. "I don't know!" Maria shouts from behind a corner. "Do you have a clear shot?" Benji shouts the question. "No!" There are many doors blocking my sight!" Maria shouts back. "Toss me a gun!" Benji shouts.

"You know how to use one!" Maria shouts her question "Yes! I trained a bit with a thirty eight and rifle." Benji shouts back. "You are better with which one?" Maria shouts. "The rifle!" he answers. Maria tosses the machine gun to him sliding it on the floor. Benji grabs it and Maria draws her revolver.

"The safety is already off!" she shouts to him. "Understood!" he shouts back. He fires few rounds against the kishi and Maria runs thru the hall reaching on Benji hiding spot. "I think that only point blank shots will do a real damage." Benji says while the kishi fires a new array of rounds.

"Or if hit one of the weakened parts of the armor." Maria says "I cover you and you fire." Benji states to Maria. She nods and he fires at the kishi and Maria runs to another door using the barrage of shots from Benji to get closer. She fires twice making the kishi stumble backwards. Benji fires too trying to give more damage. Maria moves closer and Benji is forced to stop firing because she entered on his line of fire. The kishi uses the moment and fires at Maria. Three shots hit her in the abdomen and she falls back. Benji fires again this time moving to reach Maria.

Maria point of view

I fire two shots against the beated kishi and I move closer to it to destroy it and steal the glory from Benji. That man doesn't deserve the honor of defeating something that the hanagumi can't. The machine behind me stops. I realize my mistake I entered in Benji line of fire and he stopped to not hit me. The kishi uses my mistake and shots me. I can't feel the pain before I faint…

I feel cold. I look around me and found snow. I recognize this place. Yuri, my beloved captain was killed here. And I am forced to watch it again. Seeing how my mistakes cost the live of the one that I love most. I see him pulling the pin of the grenade and being hit. But before anything can happen I feel a strong jolt of pain on my abdomen. I look down and see a metal floor. My arms are hanging limply in front of my eyes. I am facing a large black body and I can see black boots pacing in front of my eyes. I feel pain again when my body rocks on a shoulder. I look around and see now clearly where I am. I am on Benji left shoulder and he is carrying me. I am facing his chest. And his arm is around my waist. Before I can do something I faint again…

My first impression is that is hard to breath. And the feeling of something soft on lower face. I open my eyes and I close then again when smoke hits then. I hear Benji voice cursing. Not in Japanese or English, it must be Portuguese. And I hear shots, many of then. I also feel my body shake in a fast rhythm and I understand that he is shooting. More pain runs thru me when he run. How he can run wounded and carrying me? I am heavy. Liking or not I weight sixty five kilos. I can hear his painful gasps for air as he run. We pass thru a door and he slams it shut, quickly locking it. And I hear strong pounds against the metal door. Is the kishi. Benji moves away from the door. I look up at him. He is with a black mask on his lower face. That covers his nose and mouth. "You woke Maria?" I hear him asking to me in English. "Where are we!" I ask looking around but the dark and smoke filled room doesn't let me recognize it. "The koubu loading docks." Is his answer. He moves to my koubu. I don't understand how he passes by everyone else koubu and climbed the stairs to mine. He places me a bit harshly on the cockpit. And I can finally take a good look at him. His pants legs are ripped on several spots with blood oozing from many cuts. His shirt sleeves are both missing. And he has many bruises and cuts on then. I see his metal tekko on the right hand and wrist. And the left one is covered with black cloth and tied with a steel wire. He is no longer wearing the silk vest. He is with a leather straps on his shoulders that I recognize as a shoulder holster for something. His shirt is ripped and torn. And he is now more than ever looking that he left a war. On his right hand is the machine gun. On his waist and thighs are the knifes. I recall the harsh feeling of the fabric when he placed me on the cockpit. It felt bad and metallic. Then hit me. I grab his shirt and now I am sure. That is not fabric or ordinary clothes. That is the chain mail that Ayame gave to us and we refused. I touch my face and I feel the softness of silk and understand. He masked me with his vest. But his mask doesn't look like silk. "You got lucky. If the distance was smaller the mails would not have hold then." Benji talks to me. I am confused but I recall being shot. I smile under the mask because I decided to put on the chain mail today to face the kishi and I putted two of then. And according to him it saved my live. "You can't fight like that. It is better that you close up the koubu and stay here." Benji says moving away from the koubu. I notice that his mask is actually one of his sleeves.

And I am sure that it is not doing a good job in filtrating the smoke filled air. "I can fight." I say trying to get up, just to fall back on my seat. "While you was out the kishi attacked us many times. And in a couple of then I fell and you slipped out from my grip and hitted a wall. You haven't broken anything. But it hitted a nerve. It will take a while to you walk again." He says to me returning and making me comfortable on the koubu seat.

"Stay put and close up. I will take the kishi away from here. Soon you will be able to walk again. Then you move to where the others are." He says placing my revolver on my hand and he run away.

"Don't get yourself killed! I want to set the scores!" I shout to him. I don't show a sing that he listened with the sound of the poundings growing louder. I close the koubu hatch and with the cameras I see him placing himself behind a pillar and taking out his belt. He wraps it around the pillar and places the machine gun barrel against it and he give a turn on the gun wrapping it on the belt and the pillar. The door falls after few minutes and Benji fires at the kishi. And I understand why he did that with the belt. It is preventing the aim to change keeping it on the same place. That is the kishi right shoulder. I see the robot holding a axe with his single hand. And Benji ammo ends. He removes the machine gun from the belt and run away. The kishi runs after him. Somehow the kishi is now running again. Now I worry about him. After all I want to beat Benji. I reach to the radio to inform the others of the events.

Benji point of view. (When Maria was shot.)

I race at Maria firing at the kishi. I grab her collar and begin to back off dragging her. I feel my left hand screaming in pain as I drag her. I enter in the first door with her and close it behind us. I can hear the kishi moving and I rip open Maria uniform jacket. Seeing three holes on the white shirt but no blood. I pull the white shirt from her pants and see a black shirt under it. I can't help on smiling at her. I pull it up too to found another one. And on this one I see the bullets. Three of then. Luckily they are made only of lead. I put then on my pocket as a souvenir to Maria. I pull it up too and see three large bruises on her milk while skin. I softly feel the bruises and she groans in pain. That is for sure a really good sign. I check her pulse by placing my index and middle finger on her neck feeling it strong and steady. I fix her clothes as best as I can and I place her on my left shoulder with some effort. I leave her head in the front to preventing me to get distracted by her backside and to prevent damage on her head. After all I will be running from the kishi and I can't leave her head directed to the danger. I gasp in pain feeing my ribs and wounds aching with her weight. I brace myself and walk away with the machine gun pending limply held by a shoulder stripe. I need to place distance between the kishi and myself. And if I get luck I may found the briefing room to leave Maria and call for help. I am not sure if I can continue this for much longer. The door behind us falls and the kishi walks in. but I am not on his range since I turned a corner. Recalling of Kohran words that the kishi as me don't have any idea of how walk around the complex give me some security. But I really wanted to know how walk around her. Maybe getting a tour from Ayame. What a bad way to expend my birthday. I keep moving as fast as I can closing doors behind me to make the kishi take longer to get us. I found myself in a large depot. I carefully place Maria over few boxes and I sit taking time to regain my breath and plan something. My body is sore and my wounds are making me weaker. I try taking a deep breath but I begin to cough hard. I lean on a wall while I cough wildly. I close my eyes in pain and I feel something moving up my throat. A metallic taste fills my mouth and I spit a large glob of whatever is on my mouth. It falls with a loud splat and more follow it. After the crisis I take deep breaths an open my eyes. I can see many dark masses on the floor. Clotted blood. I must have cleaned my lungs with that coughing crisis. But the amounts worry me. I lost too much blood already. No wonder my stamina is gone. I kick a box in frustration it falls and breaks exposing the contents. Bolts and nails for something. I begin to open the boxes seeing what have inside. Maybe I might found a grenade launcher or a bomb. After ten minutes I see only tools and metal bars. Nothing much. But I guess that I can make a trap with then. Picking wire, bolts and few metal bars I begin to make a basic trap. I tie the bolts on the bar and I tie the bar near of the door frame and I pull it back tensing the bar. After tying on the place I place a wire on the door frame. So when the kishi walk in it will trigger the trap. With luck the bolts will give a small damage on it. I take Maria to another room and I backtrack until I see the kishi. He greets me with bullets and I do the same. I run to the room with the trap and the kishi follows me. I avoid the trap and I hide behind the door. The kishi walks in setting the trap. The tense bar moves in a high speed and it nails the bolts on the kishi thighs. I slam a metal bar on the machine gun making it drop it. I grab it and run away firing few shots on it. The kishi breaks the trap and moves after me trying to hit me with it. I grab Maria and keep running until I gain more distance from the kishi. I set another trap by a stairway. It is only a simple wire on the first step. Down the stairs I drop few nails tied together as tetsubushi. A good thing in being a ninja is be able to improvise weapons and traps. I know that this won't give much damage on the kishi. But any amount of damage on it is good for me. I run away hearing it falling the stairs. The fall for a human would be deadly. It is a good thing that the sensors here are not as good as in my time. Because the kishi can't see small things like tensed wires, fallen nails and others little things that give me advantage over it. Maria stirs on my shoulder and almost makes us fall down. She is muttering something in Russian and I can't understand. By the small hint of tears on her eyes I am sure that is about Yuri. I keep walking fast. Maria stirs again and I stop walking. For more that I want to carry her in a more gentle way I can't. I am too weak to carry her on my arms and I need then to fight. And I can't give her a pig back ride because she will be exposed to danger. She mutters in Russian again and I can only understand one word and it is 'Yuri'. I sigh and keep walking. This time I sing in a soft voice. "sotto mezameru

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to...

'Ato sukoshi' to yuu kyori ga fumidasenakute

itsumo me no mae wa tozasarete-ita no

aitai aenai hibi wo kasaneru tabi ni

tsuyoi tokimeki wa setsunasa ni naru yo"

Maria stops moving on my shoulder as I sing. I smile a bit and continue to sing.

"moshimo eien to yuu mono ga aru nara

Toomawari shite demo shinjite mitai

"bukiyou dakara KIZUtsuku koto mo aru" to

wakatte mo tomaranai mou dare ni mo makenai

anata no koto wo omou

sore dake de namida ga

ima afuredashite kuru yo

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to...

tsuyogaru koto dake shiri-sugite-ita watashi

dakedo ano toki kara mayoi wa kieta yo

misetai to omou mono ga kitto atte

kikasetai kotoba mo takusan aru

egao nakigao mo zenbu mite hoshikute

matte-iru watashi wa yamete

'CHANSU' wo tsukamu yo

I can hear the kishi moving and getting closer. Singing is quickly draining my stamina in this state. But I continue because Maria is no longer stirring and making me stop to prevent her from falling.

"Anata no koto wo omou

Sore dake de kokoro ga

tsuyoku nareru ki ga suru yo

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to...

Anata no koto wo omou

Sore dake de namida ga

Ima afuredashite kuru yo

Tookute koe ga todokanai dakedo itsuka wa

Kanarazu todoku you ni

Shinjite la la la la la la...

Shinjite la la la la la la...

shinjite la la la la la la..."

I became too absorbed by focusing on singing and walking with Maria on my shoulder that I forgot to watch for the kishi. The machine tackled me and we fall. Maria hits a wall and the kishi tries to punch me. I barely dodge and see the bulge on the floor. I empty my machine gun shooting it on the chest. Giving me time to get up and grab Maria and run away. I breathe in short gasps holding her in my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head in my chest hearing my unsteady heart beat. If the situation was different I would for sure love the feeling of her doing that. But now is too painful and troublesome. The irony I have my hands full of Maria and I am unhappy with it. If someone said to me one week ago that I would be carrying Maria on my arms and I would be unhappy with it I would not believe on him. I drop the empty machine gun and Maria mutters something in Russian blushing while saying. Now I wanted to know what she said. After get distance between us and the kishi is try to remove Maria from me. Sadly she is not willing to let me go. Another thing that it would be great in another situation. Making a huge effort to make her release me and another huge one to control myself to let her go I lay her on the floor and I check for wounds on her back. I see a large bruise on her waist line covered by her pants. "Sorry Maria I will have to look and see that it is bad. And is not like I haven't seen you naked before. Because I have. And I am used to the female body. I will be quick and gentle." I say in English. I pull the hem of her pants down. The bruise ends on the top of her buttocks. I press the bruise lightly seeing that nothing feel wrong. I fix Maria clothes and move to put her back on my shoulder. But something falls inside the room. I jump over her covering her with my body. And instead of an explosion smoke fills the room. Maria and I begin to cough. I remove my vest and cover her nose and mouth with it. I pick her up and run out of the room. More smoke bombs fall inside the room but I am no longer there. In the next room I rip the vest to make a mask to her folding the vest in two and tying on her lower face. She is no longer coughing and with my knife I cut my right mail sleeve. I tie it on my lower face making an even cruder mask than Maria's for me. I rip my left one covering the tekko with it and tying it with a wire. More grenades fly in the room. I place Maria over my shoulder and I run away to meet a smoke filled hall. I manage to gain distance again. So I set up few traps and run away. Thankfully the kishi ran out of smoke bombs. I enter in another room and smile seeing the seven koubus. I move to Maria koubu. The black one. After place her there I see that she is wake. After a quick talk I move away and set an ambush to the kishi. After he chases me I notice that he repaired his legs so he is running. That is bad for me. I have three bullets for the machine gun, two knifes, a throwing cross and a baton. Nothing good enough to destroy it. Why I can't found a steam bazooka or something like that?

In the briefing room (Normal point of view.)

The hanagumi watch Benji running in to a hall with the kishi on his heels. "I wonder if he can actually win." Kohran states seeing the image. "You should put more faith on him. After all he is giving damage on the kishi and he is not dead." Kasumi replies.

"Excuse me. But can't we do something. He is wounded, Maria-san is on her koubu and that horrible machine is still working. We could help." Sakura says in a worried tone.

"We all know that. But Yoneda and Ayame want to let him do that alone. So we have to obey." Ogami says in an unpleased tone. "Mina! Benji is attacking!" Yuri shouts to then and the entire hanagumi run to the screen.

In the hall

Benji charges the kishi dodging an attack from the axe. He touches the tip of the machine gun barrel on the kishi abdomen and fires the three rounds. The armor gives up and the shots hit the internal gears. Benji leaps backwards and toss the machine gun on the air and grabs the barrel and charges the kishi again. Now using the machine gun as a club. Benji hits the kishi neck twice before it breaks.

"Useless piece of crap!" he shouts in Portuguese. Not knowing that the kishi is transmitting to the briefing room where the hanagumi flinches with rage of the tone. Benji jumps backwards twice. He removes from his pockets eight long nails and he tosses then at the kishi. Sparks flow from the contact and two of then nails on two deeper cracks on the armor. Benji unsheathes his two knifes and he holds the larger one in his right hand with the blade up. And the smaller one on his left hand held upside down in a ninja style. The kishi charges raising high the axe. Benji blocks the attack and slams the butt of the large knife in one of the nails burying it deeper inside the kishi. Oil gushes out from the nail and Benji and the kishi leaps backwards.

"If I can't take you down easily I will show you why I won the title of war master in my school." Benji says in Portuguese. He charges the kishi barely dodging the swing of the axe. He gives two slashes in the kishi creating large gashes on the armored plating. He packs a powerful kick with his right leg making the kishi stumble backwards. Benji charges again stomping on the kishi thighs and propelling himself upwards. He rises few meters above the kishi before begin to fall. He falls bringing the knifes down hard on the kishi breaking the armor and taking more fluids from the machine. Benji places his left foot on the kishi abdomen and kicks it forward removing his knifes and making the kishi stumble backwards again.

In the briefing room

"Oh my God!" Kohran shouts seeing Benji attacking the kishi. "Why he haven't fought like that before!" Kanna asks in shock seeing the ferocity of the attack. They see Benji sheath the knife on the left hand and attack with a chain wrapping it on the kishi axe. Ayame smiles seeing the fight.

"I told that he could handle it." Ayame says to then.

In the hall

Benji gives the chain a strong pull unbalancing the kishi. Benji grabs the axe and slams the knife on the kishi wrist making the machine release it. Benji moves backwards sheathing the knife and holding the axe on his right hand and quickly wrapping the chain around his left arm. He holds the axe as it was a sword and charges aiming at the kishi neck. Sparks flow at the contact and Benji keeps pounding the same spot over and over again forcing the kishi to move backwards. Benji pulls his arms and the axe as back as he can and then he slams it hard on the kishi. The blade burry deep on the kishi left side smashing the armor and forcing sparks to flow. The kishi grabs the axe preventing Benji from removing it. And the ninja let it go and packs two punches on the kishi head. He kicks the axe breaking the handle preventing the kishi from using it. He unsheathes the knifes but before he can attack the kishi tackle Benji. Both of then fall on the floor. Benji moves away from the kishi trying to get distance. But the robot grabs his right ankle and squeezes it hard. Benji shouts in anger and pain. His scream echoes on the halls and on the briefing room. He turns back to the kishi and slams the smaller knife on the kishi wrist not gaining response. He slams the butt of the larger knife on the smaller blade. Sparks flow and the blade buries on the kishi wrist causing the pressure to get weaker. Benji begins to raise his hand again but then the kishi tosses him away. Benji gets up forcing himself. The kishi gets up and runs away to recompose his plan. This time Benji chases it changing the parts. From the hunted he is now the hunter. He sheaths the smaller knife and uses the chain again. This time he wraps it on the kishi legs making it fall. Benji jumps over the faller machine and stabs it on the back hard using both hands. He does it many times. The kishi reaches Benji and tosses him away beginning to run again. Benji gets up and chases it again.

In the briefing room

"Ayame-san you are sure that it is good that he enters on the team!" Sakura asks in a scared tone. "More than sure." Ayame says with her voice dripping with desire and certain. "I was never so assured of something in my life before." Ayame mutters under her breath. And a door bursts. The hanagumi looks upwards and they see a black form on the air and gleans of silver on the space. The sound of metal hitting metal is heard. The black form falls and stays hanging on the air. They can see the kishi head between metal bars of the rail. The robot is trying to reach Benji that is hanging on the air by a thin steel wire that is wrapped against the kishi neck. Benji shakes his head and looks up seeing the kishi. He places his feet on the wall and closes his right hand around the wire and he forces down. A sickening of metal being ripped is heard. A gush of dark fluids flow in the air. Benji leans gracefully on his feet half crouched. He gets up and they can see the wire being pulled back moving on the air and hiding itself on his wrist. The kishi head hits the floor with a bell like sound. Benji fixes his tangled and dirty hair softly combing it with his right hand once moving it away from his eyes. He picks the fallen head and walks to Kanna.

"Here a gift for you." He says in English handing to her the kishi head. Kanna is confused looking at him but she picks the severed head. It drips fluids on the floor. He moves to Ayame and she smiles at him. No one can be sure but under the mask he seems to be smiling back.

"Had fun?" she asks in English "Not much. But it was a good experience." He answers in the same language. Then the tiredness and the blood loss take it toll. Benji fall on his knees taking deep breaths.

"Call a medic now!" Ogami orders to the kazegumi. Iris moves closer of Benji. She pulls a small pink handkerchief from her pocket and cleans the upper half of his face. Benji looks at her half confused and half thankful. She places the handkerchief on her pocket and holds the sides of his face gently and kisses the bridge of his nose gently. A yellow light pillar surrounds then quickly fading. Iris giggles moving away after lowering his mask.

"Puta que pariu! Magia de cura!" Benji shouts in Portuguese. He no longer feels pain and all his wounds are healed. He easily gets back on his feet. Iris smiles at him and he smiles back. "I guess that we can call off the medic." Ayame says.

"Actually I would like to see one. Just to be sure that I am healed up nicely. But I am feeling that Iris kiss did a excellent job." Benji says moving his left wrist after removing the metal bar that is immobilizing it. "No pain at all." He mutters seeing the joint moving perfectly.

"When you learned to do that Iris-chan?" Ogami asks curious. "Just now Ogami-niichan." Iris answers smiling. "Benji go wash yourself. Then we will go to the hospital have a total check up on you." Ayame says.

"Ryokai Fujieda-shousa!" Benji shouts saluting Ayame. She laughs while he relaxes from the salute. "Answer me honestly Benji. How much Japanese you truly know?" Ayame asks in English. "Not much. But enough to play tricks on you guys." Benji says "But how I get in the shower room from here?" he asks. "I will take you there." She asks and they walk away.

"He doesn't seem so scary now." Tsubaki says looking him walking away with Ayame. Not noticing that Iris is moving after then. "He change faces really quickly." Sumire says looking at the destroyed kishi. "Yo Kohran take this." Kanna says handing to the Chinese woman the severed head. "Found what went wrong." Ogami says to her and she nods.

"I am tired and hungry." Benji says to Ayame. "I think that it is natural. I will ask for a large meal for you. Take a bath so we can go to the hospital and exam you." Ayame says to him. He nods entering on his room to get his last set of clothes. Ayame finally notices Iris walking behind then.

"Where you are going Iris?" Ayame asks. "Iris is going to her room. Iris is tired and want to rest." The little girl answers. "Okay. You did something really amazing now. You earned your rest." Ayame says to her. Iris nods and walks to her room. Ayame moves to the office to set up everything. Few minutes later Benji walks out of his room and moves to the shower room.

One and a half hour later

"Fuck! Seven washes and I am still reeking like used motor oil!" Benji mutters angrily in Portuguese. On his right hand there is a ball of clothes and on the left his used jeans. "And my clothes are useless now. I am stuck with one set of clothes again!" he keeps muttering moving to his room. In there he tosses the ball of clothes on the trash can. He looks at his jeans not sure of what do with then.

"I guess that I will keep it. After all it is not so weird use ripped jeans." He mutters recalling of people buying ripped jeans for a high price in famous stores. He tosses it over the chair and walks away picking his pocket knife and the smaller knife. He founds the lunch already set and Ayame sited on her usual seat. And in front of his seat there is a large display of food. Benji sits and look at the food.

"ITADAKIMASU!" Benji shouts before start eating. Ayame don't get surprised with Benji showing how to act on Japanese standards. Unlike the others members of the teigeki. After eat Benji and Ayame go to a secret military hospital, after a huge series of exams they return to the theater.

"Twenty fractures on the ribs. Two punctures on each lung. Broken ankle and wrist. Severe blood loss. Damn that is too much." Benji mutters to himself. "It sure is a record. At least we know that Iris kiss fully healed you." Ayame says. Benji nods agreeing.

"Ne Ayame." Benji says in a low and shy tone. "Nani yo Benji-kun?" Ayame asks. "I need training." He says in the same tone. "Indeed you need. But I am happy that you asked for it." She says in a content tone "It shows maturity admit that you need to get better." Ayame says in a motherly tone. "I almost got killed yesterday and today. The same almost happened with Maria. If I was more skilled I could have finished the kishi sooner." He says with his voice dripping with regret and sadness. "And if I have asked for treatment for my ankle and ribs before things could have been different. Kohran effort wouldn't be wasted, the base wouldn't be wrecked and no one would get hurt."

"Benji that is a possibility. But even if you where in the hospital getting treated the events could turn in the same way. Kohran would show the kishi, Kanna would get wounded or killed, Iris too. The entire hanagumi could be killed. What is in the past can't be changed." Ayame says comforting.

"But you were here and handed with the kishi. I am sure that Kohran is now thinking in making a new one even stronger. Kanna will train harder and Iris found a new ability that is for sure handy." She adds placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I think that the results were good. Go rest, I will try go found a place to train." She says with a smile. Benji smiles weakly and nods before walking away.

In bathroom

Maria is humming a song. "Maria-san what song is that one?" Sakura asks looking curious to the taller woman. "What?" Maria asks "I asked what song is the one that you are humming." Sakura says

"I don't know Sakura. But I can't take it out of my head. I have no idea of how I heard this song." Maria says "That is sure odd." Kanna says barging on the talk.

Later in that day

Benji is on the kitchen leaning on the balcony peeling an orange. The hanagumi walks in chatting and stop looking at him. "Yo." Benji says looking up at then pausing on his small task. "Yo." Kanna says but after if they remain in silence. After peel the orange Benji cut it on four smaller parts, he nails his butterfly knife on a cutting board and eat the orange quietly. The hanagumi stays in silence looking at each other confused. Iris walks to him and softly tugs on Benji shirt. She looks at his eyes and then to the orange. Benji nods and picks the knife in silence. The girls gasp at it and try move forward but Ogami stops then. Benji picks another orange and quickly peels it leaving the white part of the skin. He cuts the orange in the half and with the tip of the knife removes the orange seeds and hand the two halves to Iris. She smiles at him.

"Arigato!" she chirps happily before eating the orange. And Benji nails the knife on the board again and resumes eating his own orange, this time with Iris besides him. And besides her Jean-Paul is floating. The hanagumi girl's blushes at the bad jump of conclusions and leave the kitchen.

"I am embarrassed. For a second I thought that Benji-san would kill Iris-chan." Sakura says in a sad tone. "You weren't the only one Sakura. I thought it too." Kanna says in the same tone. "We all have." Kohran says "taking out Ogami-han we all have."

"Actually I also thought that. But if Ayame-san trusts on him and Iris-chan trusts on him the least that I can do is try too." Ogami says "He is part of the team." He adds in a low tone. "I think that we are wrong in not trying to get along with him. Even that we don't speak the same language. I mean Iris and Benji didn't spoke a word but they are getting along. She is trying." Kanna says

"And what we are supposed to do? Use body language?" Sumire says with her voice dripping with poison. "No. But we could stop staying away from him. Taking out the misunderstandings he is trying to be friendly." Kanna says with a small edge on her voice.

"Friendly? He whipped me with a towel!" Sumire shouts "He did it to me too!" Kanna shouts back "And if I recall properly he did that after you smashed his skull with a broomstick!"

"He was attacking Maria-san! And he saw me undressed!" Sumire shouts "He saw Maria naked!" Kanna shouts making the Russian blush recalling it. "And that is something that deserved punishment!" Sumire shouts "He saw my most intimate part! And I am not mad at him anymore!" Kanna shouts with her face deep red with embarrassment and anger. That makes Sumire stop. "It is not like we are looking like we where forgiving him for us walking in him!" Kanna adds. Sumire stays quiet. "We all chased him like we where going to castrate him. I also don't blain him for running away and whipping you, Kanna and Maria." Kohran says "And he did that after you three attacked him." Sumire can't find words to reply the logic of the Okinawan and the Chinese. Benji and Iris leave the kitchen and Iris looks at the girls and Benji just walks by then.

Way later in that night

Benji is on his room sleeping. When someone knocks in the door. He stirs slowly waking. He gets up and walks to the door and opens it. He looks straight ahead and don't see anything else that a wall. He is about to turn around when he feels a soft tug on his sleeveless shirt. He looks down and sees Iris on her nightclothes holding a pillow and with Jean-Paul floating besides her. She looks at her with tearful eyes and with her lower lip shaking lightly. He nods and gives space to her walk in, she walks to the bed cuddling Jean-Paul in the warmer spot of the bed under the blankets. Benji closes the door and gets on the bed keeping a small distance from Iris. Soon the French girl is sleeping softly. Benji looks at her and sigh.

"Always a blonde in my bed. Always." He mutters in Portuguese. Soon falling in sleep too.

In the next morning

Benji wakes feeling something warm wrapped around him. He looks around and sees Iris hugging him holding tight on his shirt. Her head is resting on his left shoulder. Her petite form is pressed against his upper half. Iris left leg is over Benji abdomen. "Why me?" Benji mutters in Portuguese recalling that he woke like that many times with his girlfriend. With a skill gained from years of practice Benji untangles himself from Iris with out waking the sleeping girl. He leaves the bed after covering her and leaving Jean-Paul between her arms. He grabs his bathing goods and moves to the bathroom sure that in five and a half in the morning the tub will be empty. He washes himself and after remove the soap he slides inside the bathtub with a towel around his waist. Enjoying the feeling of the warm water on his still sore muscles.

"This is sooo gooood…" Benji half say half moan with his eyes closed enjoying the feeling. "I hope that you don't mind company Benji-kun." A feminine voice says. "What!" Benji shouts opening his eyes "Ayame!" he dives in the water seeing Ayame slowly entering on the tub with only a towel covering her body. "What the hell you are doing!" he shouts his question.

"Taking a bath. I usually take an early bath to avoid the rush of the girls." Ayame says sitting a couple of meters away from Benji. "That is not what I mean!" Benji shouts looking away from Ayame body "Why you entered with me here!"

"Come on Benji-kun. It is nothing that you haven't seen before." Ayame says clearly teasing. "Only because I am used to see the feminine body doesn't mean that it is nice to show off to me like this." Benji says to her. Ayame chuckles at his actions.

"By the way Benji-kun I am going to a meeting this morning to request a new koubu for you. And I will also request training for you while it will be build. I believe that by the noon I will be free and we will go get you new clothes." Ayame says in a casual tone.

"That is good. Because this is my last set and they are beginning to smell." Benji says recalling that the clothes that are in the changing room are the same ones that he was wearing when he arrived on the theater. Ayame nods and they chat for a while. After a half hour soaking Benji move away leaving Ayame alone. He dresses up and leaves the bathroom. Sakura passes by him in the changing room door way. They trade greetings and they move to they own business. Sakura undresses and enter in the bathroom. She sees Ayame and she only stays staring in shock. Ayame notices Sakura and sigh.

"Before you jump conclusions I just got in when Benji-kun was dressing up." Ayame lies to Sakura. The brunet gets out of her shock and enters in the tub. Benji walks to his room and Iris is leaving it. She tosses at him a smile before teleporting to her own room. Benji shrug wondering why she just didn't teleport for her room inside his room. He enters on his room and locks the door. He makes the bed and pulls his back pack from under the bed pulling the CD player and a pair of headphones. He turns it on and places the phones over his ears. He chose to hear a previous set playlist. Benji sighs happily hearing the first tunes of Love Hina ending theme Kimi Saeireba. He yawns softly as slow music have the usual effect of making him sleepy.

"I am a dreamer. Yoake no hikari sosogu ka no chi wa doko?" Benji sings softly at the music slow rhythm.

End of the chapter six:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

Japanese glossary:

Tetsubushi: Small weapons used by ninjas. That is made of sharp nails or blades melted together on the base to form a spiked ball. It is usually left to delay the enemy dropping then on the path. If the pursuer doesn't notice or move careless it will have painful wounds on the foot pierced by then.

The song: It is the First ending of Inu-Yasha called My Will here is the English version

Quietly awakening...

I always, always wish

that these fleeting thoughts

would reach you...

Unable to move forward across "just a little more" distance

The way I see before me is always blocked

Every time the days I want to see you but can't pile up,

My strong heartbeat turns into heartbreak.

If there is such a thing as "eternity,"

I want to believe, even if I have to take the long way.

Although I know that I've been hurt before because I'm clumsy

I won't stop; I won't give in to anyone.

I think of you

and that alone is enough

to make the tears start to flow now

I always, always wish

that these fleeting thoughts

would reach you...

I've known all too well about pretending to be strong.

But since then, my doubts have vanished.

There's definitely things I want to show you

And so many words I want to hear

I want to see all sides of you, when you laugh and cry

So I'll stop waiting

and seize my "chance."

I think of you,

and I feel like that alone is enough

to make my heart grow stronger.

I always, always wish

that these fleeting thoughts

would reach you...

I think of you

and that alone is enough

to make the tears start to flow now

My distant voice can't reach you now, but so that someday

it definitely will...

Believe. la la la la la la...

Believe. la la la la la la...

Believe. la la la la la la...

Mina: It can mean 'people', 'everybody', 'guys' and others things on this line.

Ryokai: It means understood;

Shousa: It means the military rank of major.

Ryokai Fujieda-shousa: It means literally 'understood Major Fujieda."

Yoake no hikari sosogu ka no chi wa doko: It is the first line of the ending theme of Love Hina. It means 'Where does the light of dawn pour down?'

Kimi Saeireba: It means 'If you were here'.

Portuguese glossary:

Puta que pariu: A Portuguese swearing. Translating literally says 'whore who gave birth.' It is used when expressing rage or surprise or both. But it means more like son of bitch or motherfucker.

Magia de cura: It means literally healing magic.

Author observation:

"Always a blonde in my bed." My ex-girlfriend is blonde. Iris is blonde. Get it?

The title of 'war master'. In my old boarding school there was an informal and unofficial event in the beginning of the school year. And it is also illegal and dangerous. It is called Dorm wars. The students of the many dorms fought among themselves for the superiority. Each year have one. One for the freshmen, one for the juniors and one for the seniors. The dorm that was victorious on the respective war ruled the others dorms of the same year. The war master was the person of that dorm who scored more victims, pardon me. More knock outs. The only rule of the war was that no firearm was allowed as well knifes, blades or stab weapons. Hits in the head with weapons were also forbidden. But taking out that everything was permitted. In the freshmen year there was the 120's, the 20's and the 40's. That was the dorms names. But the number of students on then was not those. For the juniors it was only two as well the seniors. But they fought divided in smaller groups of five. The number of students on each room of the advanced dorms. The freshmen where pilled up in communitarian dorms with about fifty students each. The war takes place in an empty ground near of the school. The terms of the winning were simple. If all members of a dorm are knocked out the dorm loses. Or if the dorms members give up they lose. The prize for winning was respect. The war master was the student with higher respect of the dorm. There was more advantages on winning that will be explained on the story.


	7. A day off

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Chapter six: A day off

Teito August twenty forth 1922

The hanagumi is discussing over the previous day incident on the briefing room watching over and over again the three hours records of the kishi incident. Edited on having both views merged together. "I simply don't get it. Why he held back so much while he was still uninjured? Why delay so much the attack and keep that low techniques and dirty attacks?" Sumire asks to the others in hope to getting an answer.

"If I wasn't able to beat the kishi when that machine was fully operational what make you think that he could?" Kanna says not with superiority but just stating a fact. "I am by far stronger than him. And I couldn't lay a single punch on it."

"But Benji is faster than you. Much faster." Maria says not happy on defending him. "And he is an amateur. You really think than an amateur can defeat any of us in fair combat." She adds much pleased in talking badly about with. The others shiver feeling the poison dripping of her words.

"I have to agree with Maria on this. I am sure that Sakura can defeat Benji if they where fighting with kenjutsu. The same goes with Kanna on empty handed combat." Ogami says boosting the girls abilities.

"I wouldn't bet in that Taisho." Kanna says "My karate skills are unmatched. But he doesn't use karate. He uses ninjitsu. With few moves from others styles. Even some that I never saw before." The red head adds with her voice showing that she is eager to learn from the ninja. "It would be a hard fight. And I am not even sure that I would win. In the best case we both have chances to win." Kanna adds being humble over her skills.

"Kanna-san you are the best." Sakura says trying to cheer the red head. "He beated the kishi because Kohran haven't programmed it with his moves, like she did with you."

"Sakura I am not sad or depressed. Only a bit disappointed with myself." Kanna says in a slight sad tone. "But I will get better. And I will ask for him train with me. I am sure that if I propose to teach him few of my moves he will teach me few of his." Kanna adds in an energetic tone.

"And why you would want to learn such foul techniques? What good would do?" Sumire asks in honest surprise. "I thought that you had honor."

"I have honor." Kanna spurts with her voice shaking with barely controlled anger

Sumire is taken back by the tone of Kanna. "Look it is better that you two don't fight." Ogami says trying to cool down the situation. Kanna takes a deep breath to calm herself.

"I am going to eat something. We are here since the breakfast and it have been three hours." Kanna says getting up and walking away. Kanna makes her way to the kitchen thinking in how talk to Benji about training together. Especially how make he understand that since they don't even speak the same language.

(You get burning…) Kanna hears someone singing in a language that she doesn't recognize or understand but the song was interrupted by a soft crunching noise. She looks at the voice direction and sees Benji walking out of the kitchen with an apple on his hand that is clearly missing a part. He waves a greeting to Kanna. Who clearly understood that his mouth is filled with the missing chunk of the apple. She waves back and moves to the kitchen. Benji sits in one of the many empty seats and eat in silence his apple occasionally letting out a tune of the song that he was previous singing.

"I am not getting enough nutrition." Benji thinks looking at the last remains of the finished apple "Japanese food is too light and I can't get enough protein and carbohydrates that usually compounds my diet. I can't exactly complain either. Things are different now I can't eat only meat, noodles, eggs, pasta and bread. I have to get used to a more balanced diet." He adds to his thoughts sighing unhappy. Kanna walks out of the kitchen with a large tray filled with Japanese candies and rice crackers. Benji notices that it has two tea cups on the tray. He raises an eyebrow a bit confused with that. Kanna walks closer of his table and sits facing him. She smiles seeing the confused expression on his face. She places a cup in front of him and seats down facing him and leaving the tray between then. She sips her tea in hope that he will do the same. Benji snaps out of his confusion and picks the cup.

"Arigato." Benji says before sipping it. Kanna smile is hidden by the cup. "I am trying to get friendly. It is not so hard. I hope that everything goes well." She thinks while reaching for a cracker.

"Damn this tea is too bitter for my taste. I am too used to the sweet occidental tea." Benji thinks trying very hard not to frown with the bitterness of the Japanese tea. He reaches to a candy to ease the bitterness of the tea. After sometime they move away. Kanna is few steps behind Benji who is moving to his room. Benji stops on his tracks looking tense.

"I could swear that his ears where almost moving!" Kanna thinks looking at him. He suddenly pushes her back and three shurikens nails on the wall between then. Benji charges at the direction of the attacker and a couple of ninjas leave a shadowed corner. Kanna recovers from the surprise and chases then to help Benji. One of the ninjas tosses a kunai at Benji. Benji grabs the throwing knife on the air and tosses back with out stopping. The ninja falls with the knife on his hip. The other ninja tosses more knifes and Benji grabs then all on the air. The ninja tries to leap out from a window but Benji catches him before it. He nails the knifes on the ninja sleeves keeping him on the place unable to move.

(You speak English?) Benji asks in a cold tone. The man shakes the head like he doesn't understand. "Shine!" Benji says raising one of his hands with one of his knifes and he moves to stab the man. Kanna grabs Benji wrist and prevents the killing blow.

"Oi! Yameru!" Kanna shouts holding his wrist. Benji looks at her eyes. She shakes her head telling to him not do it. He sighs and relaxes his arm. Kanna let him go and he sheathes the knife. Kanna grabs the ninja and drags him away. Benji gets up and follows the red head.

"What happened? Why we were attacked? And how they got inside?" Benji thinks looking at the defeated ninjas. "And why ninjas?" he adds on his mind. They reach the briefing room and the others look at then surprised. "Taisho those guys attacked us. I think that you would like to interrogate then." Kanna speaks to Ogami. "That won't be necessary." Yoneda says showing up. Benji turns all of sudden and grabs two kunais on the air. Yoneda claps at his actions. (Really good Benji-kun. I was right you are indeed skilled. Those ninjas were your admission test. And you passed in flying colors.) Ayame says walking closer of him holding a kunai.

(Congratulations Benji-kun. You are now officially a Sanada ninja.) Ayame adds smiling.

(What? I mean how? Better than that. Explain it to me.) Benji says clearly confused. (I will explain it to you. But now we have to shop you clothes. We will be leaving to Iga tonight.) Ayame says placing the kunai on the table and pulling Benji by the elbow.

(What?) Benji gasps being dragged by the older woman.

One hour later in the Ginza district.

Benji and Ayame are in a men clothes shop. Benji is inside a changing stall and Ayame is sited in a chair in front of it facing the closed door.

"So explain it to me. How you did that?" Benji asks to Ayame. "That was easy Benji-kun. In the elders council there are a member of the Sanada clan. I asked to him to train you in his clan mansion in Iga. During the time of the production of your koubu." Ayame answers to him. A young woman walks in with a tray with a cup of tea and Ayame picks it thanking the girl.

"And why that test?" Benji asks closing up a button on his sleeve. "Well the elder wanted to see if you was worthy of the training. Thing that I was sure." Ayame says before sipping her tea. Benji opens the door of the stall. He is wearing a gray blazer over a black shirt and gray pants with dark brown shoes. The shirt collar is a large circle that shows his collar bone and part of his shoulders. The shirt is not tucked inside his pants and covers his waist and gives a slight loose looks on him since the shirt is hanging slightly loose from his body.

"Nice." Ayame says giving a small impressed whistle. "Turn around and make a small pose." Benji frown a bit and begin to say something "Just do it Benji-kun." Ayame purrs to him. He sighs and gives a twirl making the open blazer moves and he combs his hair with his right hand once giving a small and sexy wink at Ayame.

(Kyaaaa! Sukeeeee!) The three young women who work on the story cries in excitement seeing Benji like that. His light blush passes unnoticed in his tanned skin. "Really good Benji-kun. It suits you well." Ayame says with a small smile. "With the others ones you have a respectable wardrobe."

"I hope so. At least this one doesn't needs adjusts." Benji says placing his hands on his pockets. "Well that is because this store makes Kanna and Maria clothes. So they keep many models in larger numbers for then. Now they will also make then for you." Ayame says appraising him.

"You really have to stare like that?" Benji asks to Ayame not very happy with her hunger look. "Well no. But I want to." She replies with a wolfish smile. "Now we need to buy you some suits and casual clothes."

"More?" Benji asks to her. Clearly not used to having a huge amount of clothes in his wardrobe. "Yes. Much more." Ayame says nodding.

Two more hours later

Benji and Ayame are in an outdoors café. Benji sips on a tea. Now shaved and with a simple but stylish haircut. "You know, I think that our first stop could be the barber shop. You look much better now. You look better shaved." Ayame says looking at his face. "It is not like I had time to shave in the past days. I was shaved in the hospital but since then." Benji says to Ayame.

"I know. I know. It was days of rush. But at least now you are enjoying a free time." Ayame states with a smile. Benji nods agreeing happy to leave the theater for a change. After a couple minutes of silence Ayame breaks it.

"Benji-kun I know the truth about you. At least part of it. I am sure that you must be missing your family and friends. If you want you can talk to me." Her tone is soft, warm and caring. Benji careless face gets just a bit harder.

"I am fine. I am used to long periods of loneliness. But thanks for the offer." Benji says in a casual tone.

"Benji-kun, being away from one year in a near town is one thing. This is for sure another." Ayame says in a worried tone. "You may never return." Benji nods understanding. Ayame sees deep on his blue eyes that he is not up to talking on that subject because it is too painful to him.

"By the way Benji-kun, why you haven't used the Fukushu that I gave to you?" Ayame asks changing the subject. "Because I am not worth of it." Benji answers when she stops speaking. "Benji-kun a sword is only a tool. It is not a treasure." Ayame says.

"I am not worth of the trust that you have on me." Benji says looking to his cup. "I am not a soldier, or a fighter. I am only a lame writer who when young practiced martial arts. I am not fit to the hanagumi."

Ayame stirs her tea with her spoon and say "I don't think so. It is true that you are not like Maria and the others. The battle with the kishi showed that. You haven't won because you are like then. You won because you are so different from them. Your own way assured you the victory. You knew when to run away and when to attack. When to use traps and direct combat. And above all you risked your safety in behalf of someone else. Just this makes you equal to then. Even thought you fight dirty." She smiles warmly at him "I personally like that detail on you." Benji face shows a light blush that Ayame fails to notice. Ayame sips her tea thinking in something else to say.

"I believe that you ways will aid the hanagumi. You are carefree but still responsible. You fight dirty and still have honor. You are harsh but yet kind. I think that the hanagumi can learn much from you. And I think that you can also learn from then." Ayame says in a motherly tone

"I have an idea." Ayame states making Benji look at her curious. "After we return from our training trip we will bring in a script that you wrote. I will keep the author a secret. If the play is succeeded I tell then that you wrote the play. If fails we hide that fact. I am sure that no one will think that you can write a play." Ayame says in a tone that drips with certain "I think that you will do a good job with that play. And I know that when the found out that they will see you in a different light." She adds before sipping her tea. Benji stays in silence. He can't just say that he mostly writes stories of Sakura Taisen. He sighs confused.

"I need to learn Japanese first." Benji says not willing to argue over something that he can't change. And by her eyes Ayame is not going to change her mind.

"That will change in the next three months." Ayame says with certain on her voice. Benji sips his tea beginning to worry about his health in the following three months, sure that whatever she keeps stored to him, he will not like it at all.

End of the chapter six:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

Japanese glossary:

Shine: It means die.

Yameru: It means stop.

Suke: It means nice, beautiful, amazing and others words on this line.

Saijo: It means the best or a place for a Shinto funeral. In this case means the last one.

OMAKES:

Benji giving the kishi head to Kanna.

Benji fixes his tangled and dirty hair softly combing it with his right hand once moving it away from his eyes. He picks the fallen head and walks to Kanna.

"Here a gift for you." He says in English handing to her the kishi head. Kanna is confused looking at him but she picks the severed head. It drips fluids on the floor.

"Waaaa! He killed for me!" Kanna cries hugging him tightly. Benji creaked ribs pops under the strong pressure of the Okinawan hug. "Let me go!" Benji shouts trying to get escape. "Waaaa he killed my poor and innocent kishi!" Kohran cries on her knees with her head buried on her hands.

Benji shopping trip with Ayame.

"Now we will dress you with this one Benji-kun!" Ayame cries holding on a white suit moving forward to Benji who is only wearing boxers. "Stop that! I am not a doll to you dress up!" he shouts moving backwards. "Be a good boy and let your mommy dress you!" She says sounding very childish. "Then we will get your cute date and you two will have tea!"

"Date?" Benji asks confused. And that second of confusion allows Ayame to leap on Benji taking him down. After sit on his chest keeping his arms between her legs she puts on the pants on his while he tries to get away.

"You two will get along so well!" she cries happily. After dressing Benji she drags him to a house and they enter in a room. "Ogami!" Benji shouts in shock seeing Ogami sited in a chair wearing a frilly pink dress, make up and a blonde wig. In the table in front of him there is a tea set.

"Wait a minute! Why Ogami is wearing a dress!" Benji shouts "You really think that Ogami is manly? Come on Benji-kun he loves with six girls and he never dated any of then. He is my private dolly." Ayame spurts happily. "No way! I am not going to do this!" he tries to struggle harder. But Ayame tied him really tight. Far from there a shout is heard

"**NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!**"

Benji shopping trip with Ayame. Take 2

Benji opens the door of the stall. He is wearing a gray blazer over a black shirt and gray pants with dark brown shoes. The shirt collar is a large circle that shows his collar bone and part of his shoulders. The shirt is not tucked inside his pants and covers his waist and gives a slight loose looks on him since the shirt is hanging slightly loose from his body.

"Nice." Ayame says giving a small impressed whistle. "Turn around and make a small pose." Benji frown a bit and begin to say something "Just do it Benji-kun." Ayame purrs to him. He sighs and gives a twirl making the open blazer moves and he combs his hair with his right hand once giving a small and sexy wink at Ayame.

"**HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**" Benji looks shocked when Ayame breaks in to a maniacal laughter "Finally I will be able to move on! My great plans on ruling on the world will be finally achieved!" Ayame gets up and snaps her fingers "Maria! Kanna!" she shouts. And from a side room the duo come out. Both of then are wearing similar suits than Benji. But Maria's sure is black and Kanna's is red.

"My boy's band is finally complete and the world of the entertainment will be mine!" Ayame cries looking at the trio with a wicked smile. Her hair falls from her neat bun and falls loose on her shoulders in a brown casket. Her eyes lose the motherly warmth that it once had.

"I will never do that! No world should pass by that! I saw the cursed results of a boy's band in my world! I will never join you!" Benji shouts recognizing Ayame on her fallen angel form. "I will never help you Saijo. And you can't force me." Saijo smiles at him.

"I don't need to force you my dear Benji-kun. I just have to tell you what you will win by joining me as my lead vocal. To begin you can have sex with me, Maria and Kanna whenever you feel like." She says in a sweet and seductive voice.

"You can have sex with any of the fans that you will have. You will be rich, powerful, famous and immortal. Because in my side, my beloved Benji-kun I will give you eternal youth and life. You will be forever young, virile and powerful." She whispers the last part on Benji ear softly licking his earlobe. Benji feels his will crumbles under Saijo very convincing words.

"I saw how your world boy's bands was famous and powerful. And you will be one member of the very first boy's band in this world. You will be above then all." And with those words of Saijo, Benji falls on the dark side of the music sealing his pact grabbing a handful of Saijo ass.

"I will do that. So you can begin to paying me." He says in a seductive tone. "You will never regret that. Girls help me to pay him." Saijo says to Kanna and Maria who walk closer of him. Taking out they jackets.

One month later in a private theater

The audience cheers wildly at the end of the Sannin. Benji, Maria and Kanna leave the stage and see Ayame smiling at then.

"Good. With this show we got money enough to open our own theater and then our goal will be closer." She says in a happy tone. "Not if we can avoid it demon!" A male voice comes out from a side door. Ogami and the remaining members of the hanagumi bursts thru a door on they hanagumi uniforms and armed.

"You won't rule the world!" Sumire shouts pointing her naginata at then. "I will do that!"

"Benji-kun can you take care of her? But don't damage her badly. I think that we might use her as a background dancer." Ayame says.

"Sure thing." The man says moving in a blur and appearing behind Sumire and holding her from behind in what appear to be a very intimate hug. "Shhh. I will be gentle with you." He softly whispers on her ear giving her a light kiss on the back of her ear. That alone was more than enough to make Sumire drop her naginata feeling her knees weak and a odd 'warmth' growing on her lower abdomen and spreading on her body like a wild fire. With a last light lick on her ear lobe Sumire goes limp on his arms. Benji leaps backwards with Sumire on his arms hading her to Ayame.

"Give Sumire back to us!" Ogami shouts "I won't allow…" his words are cutted by a jet of blood gushing from his heart. Maria is with her right hand pointed to him and with a towel wrapped tightly around her fuming revolver. "Taisho!" the remaining girls shout.

"What we do with the others?" Kanna asks in a casual tone, not caring about what just happened. "I think that we can keep Sakura. Maybe Iris too. She will grow into an attractive woman. And we can use a new dancer in the future." Ayame says

"Okay! I deal with then. And I will dispose Kohran." Kanna says cracking her knuckles smiling evilly while walking to then. "Well now we have to prepare to the opening show of our new theater." Ayame says while they move away ignoring the cries from Kohran and the sound of broken bones.


	8. Thoughts about a future companion

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Before reading this chapter please read Outcast training days.

Chapter seven: Thoughts about a future companion.

Teito August twenty forth 1922

Benji and Ayame return to the theater. Both moves to the respective room to pack. Benji packs his newly bought clothes and weapons. Benji picks his bag pack filled with his belongings and moves to Ayame room. He knocks in the door and she answers it.

"Ayame I want to know where I can safely leave my things." He asks to her.

"I will put on my safe box." She answers "That is okay with you?" Benji nods and hands to her the bag pack. She walks inside and opens a safe putting on his bag pack. "Thanks Ayame. I will finish my packing." He says to her. She nods and he walks away.

In that same day night

Benji and Ayame are in a train station. The hanagumi isn't there. The farewells where said on the theater and the duo is only waiting inside the train waiting it to leave. Ayame pulls a book and notebook from a hand bag. "Well since we have a long travel we can begin your studies." Ayame says sitting besides him and opening the book. Benji nods and listen to the class carefully.

In the theater

"Things will sure be odd with out Ayame around here." Kanna says sited on a chair in the dinning hall. The others nod agreeing. "But it will only be three months. It is not like she is not going to return." Ogami says trying to cheer up the girls. The girls nod but they seem slight depressed.

Teito December first 1922

Teito is covered by a layer of snow. The pureness of the white snow shines on the early hours sun. The people of Teito sleep peacefully as the light takes away the last hints of the night darkness. The peace reigns on the still sleeping city. But the peace and the purity of the snow are maculated by a number of wakijis marching to a shrine destroying everything on its way. Far from there the hanagumi is in motion running to the koubus to defend imperial city. In matter of minutes they arrive in the place where the wakijis are and they fight against the demons to protect the city.

"Sakura, Maria you two attack the ones in the left!" Ogami shouts to the duo. "Ryokai!" They shout charging at the enemies on the indicated direction. "Sumire, Kohran you two attack the ones in the right!" Ogami shouts to the two. "Ryokai!" they shout back attacking the enemy. "Iris, Kanna you two will come with me and attack then in the center!" Ogami orders to the remaining girls. "Ryokai!" they shout back. They skillfully take down the wakijis but a feminine form moves between then. "Kurenai no Miroku!" Sumire shouts trying to attack the woman. But many wakijis get between then and Miroku just smiles moving to the shrine. She walks up the stairs with a wicked calm, savoring the pleasure of destroy the seal knowing that the hanagumi it is just behind her unable to do anything to prevent her from doing so. The roar of a steam engine fills the air. And before Miroku can react she is hitted in the neck and dragged down the stairs hard. The force that it is pulling her is a black steam bike with a rider wearing a metal dark blue with blood red clothes. His face is covered by a mask and ridding goggles. The motorcycle is slender and fast and runs down the stairs without losing control. With a hard turn Miroku is tossed into a wall breaking it. The motorcycle stops with a screeching sound and burning tire threads in the asphalt. The rider is holding a tonfa in his right hand.

"I wont let you get inside that shrine." The rider says to Miroku. Miroku fumes in rage and tries to attack the rider who speed up and avoid the hit. Unaware that another dark form slips inside the shrine. The rider puts the tonfa in the side of the motorcycle and pulls a Winchester rifle and fires at Miroku. The energy filled bullets gives a good damage on the demon woman. With a skilful move he spins the rifle moving the leaver and firing another round. Miroku tosses at him many long and sharp hair pins. He dodges then and fire at her. Sakura who is closer sees the battle and tell to the others.

"Sakura can you take Miroku!" Ogami asks to the samurai girl. "No! There is too many wakijis! That man will not be able to win!" she answers to Ogami. "Don't worry about him." A familiar voice rings in the hanagumi radio system. "He can handle her."

"Ayame!" the hanagumi shouts in surprise hearing the voice of the long gone vice-commander. "So that man is Benji?" Kanna asks to Ayame.

"That is right. We just arrived." Ayame answers to the red head. A bust of light fills the air over the shrine forming a pillar. "NO!" Ogami shouts knowing that the seal was broken. Miroku smiles and moves to a shadow disappearing. Benji aims to a wakiji and fires to help the hanagumi to finish off the enemy. Switching the rifle for a shotgun Benji aims on the wakijis legs turning the knees of then in grinded meat. And soon the battle is over. The hanagumi leaves the koubus and move to check on the damage in the shrine. With Benji tagging along with then. Iris moves closer of the masked man. She smiles at him. Under the thin mask he smiles back at the girl. Kanna steals a quick glance at him. His clothes are slight loose blue. The blood red came from some long piece of fabric wrapped around his chest, ankles and forearms. His eyes are covered by the dark visor of the goggles and his hair is under it. She notices the single tonfa on the left side of his hip and two sheathes holding the two katars one in each thigh. She is not with the Fukushu or his two combat knifes. And next to the katar on his right thigh there is a holster with a pistol tied on the thigh. They arrive on the shrine seeing the holy grounds destroyed. Iris moves even closer from Benji feeling an evil energy on the air and she holds his left hand scared. Benji closes his hand gently around Iris small hand giving a gently and reassuring squeeze on her tiny hand. Most of the hanagumi misses this small event. Taking out Sakura who saw it. The silence is so heavy around then that is painfully uncomfortable. All of sudden Benji tenses and pushes Iris away from him. She falls sited and wails in pain. Benji vanished from the spot and he reappeared few meters away. The goggles on his face break and fall apart. Facing Benji is a woman. She has long black hair with a shade of dark silver and it is tied on a ponytail on the top of her head. Her eyes are in dark silver color. She is wearing a mask covering her lower face as Benji's. She is wearing a tight black kimono cutted in the middle of the thighs length showing her legs covering in mesh pantyhose. She is wearing tekkos and have a pair of tanto knifes on her sash. And one of then is on her right hand. She is wearing ninja shoes. Benji charges at her. His speed is enough to get the kunoichi out of guard. Benji and the kunoichi fall down the long stairway. And when the hanagumi tries to follow Setsuna appears with two wakijis.

"Now that the evil minded niichan is not here I can play with you all." He says in a dark playfully tone. "Damn." Ogami curses reaching for his swords. The hanagumi reach for they weapons. Taking out Kohran and Iris who move back since they are unable to fight a wakiji empty handed. Iris will aid with her powers from a safe distance. Benji and the kunoichi roll down the stairs hitting the other with punches on the way down. They finally hit the ground and break apart. Leaping backwards putting few meters of distance between each other. Benji charges at the kunoichi again. This time she is ready for it. Benji packs a punch and she blocks it, packing one of herself. Benji blocks attacking again. Both ninjas keep pressing attack but very few blows actually score the other. On the shrine the hanagumi easily defeats the wakijis to Setsuna displeasure. He moves down the stairs with the hanagumi on his heels. They found Benji and the kunoichi facing each other. They are about six meters away from the other. And both of then have a metal wire and a chain wrapped around the left wrist being hold by the other right hand. Both are pulling the chain keeping then on a standoff. Unable to do anything else than that because it will open a hatch for the other attack. With a stronger pull Benji unbalance the kunoichi. He charges at her with the tonfa. She blocks the attack with the tantos. Benji kicks her in the stomach making her stumble backwards. He dashes at her removing the longer part of the tonfa showing a blade. She blocks the attack recovering in time.

"This is no longer fun. Let's go." Setsuna says appearing few meters behind the kunoichi.

She moves her face closer from Benji's and presses her lips over his. In a mockery of a kiss since both are using masks. Benji tries to attack her and she leaps backwards avoiding it.

(I am Peçonha. Remember me.) She says sheathing her knifes (I will remember. After all this match is not over.) Benji replies. And she disappears with Setsuna. Benji sheathes his blade and wipes his lips with his sleeve muttering something that the hanagumi don't hear or understand. Benji unwraps Peçonha chain from his wrist and tosses it away. Before pulling back his steel wire. Before anyone can question him the hanagumi plus Benji are ordered to return to the theater. Sometime later the hanagumi arrives in the theater and move to the briefing room. They see Ayame and greet her warmly. Benji enter in the room after the greetings and unlike Ayame, Benji is not warmly greeted. At least by most of the hanagumi. Iris jump off her seat and tackle hug the much taller man, managing to wrap her arms around his neck and stay there hanging over the air more than eighty centimeters.

(To gain a hug like this makes passing by that training all worthy.) Benji says in English. Iris tries to wrap her legs around his chest but she can't. Benji hold her waist softly. Ayame smiles at the sweet scene. Of course the hanagumi wasn't happy to see such display of affection from Iris to the Brazilian. They haven't even passed one week together and they actually never talked more than two words to the other at one time.

"Let Iris go!" Ogami says not happy at all. "Yeah!" the others say backing him up. Of course Benji don't understand a word of what they say. "You guys stop that. Jesus you sound like you are all jealous." Ayame says scolding them. They blush for different reason but all of then also blush with shame. Iris with a soft nudge and some climbing makes her way to Benji shoulders and sits there comfortably. The tension over the battle is clearly forgotten with the tension about Benji. Benji sits on a chair that wasn't there three months before knowing very well that is for him. The others do the same taking out Iris who is on Benji shoulders and not willing to leave her seat.

One hour later they leave the room Iris is still on Benji shoulders who walks as if she wasn't even there. Of course he is taking care to not accidentally hit Iris head on something.

"He doesn't get tired? Iris is over his shoulders have more than one hour." Sumire says looking at him. "Sumire he is by far the one with the larger amount of stamina from the hanagumi. And he is the second stronger one from the team. Only losing in strength to Kanna. Iris only weight eighteen kilos." Ayame says.

"And he carried Maria-san over his shoulders running for one hour. And that wounded." Sakura says recalling the kishi incident.

"I forgot that." Sumire says recalling. After all Maria is much heavier than Iris.

"To Iris tire him up like that he would have to run a long way with her over his shoulders. I guess that two hours in a low running pace." Ayame says

"Two hours!" the hanagumi says in shock.

"Yes. In the training he used to train with me over his back. And I was using a weight vest. That when he wasn't with one too." Ayame says recalling of Benji training. Sumire shivers strongly. "I don't want even picture what else he did on his training." She says slightly scared.

"You won't need to picture anything." Ayame says to Sumire who sigh relieved "You will see it. It was recorded." Ayame adds making Sumire stop walking. "I don't want see him training." Sumire says. "Don't worry is only a small tape of the first day." Ayame says hiding a hint of sadness on her voice.

The hanagumi moves to they respectives rooms to change into they daily clothes. After the breakfast all the members of the hanagumi are in the briefing room, taking out Iris and Benji. The kazegumi and Yoneda are there too. Ayame arrive with a suit case "In this case have two versions of Benji's first training day. With full sound. One was edited to remove the most shocking images. And the other is unedited. I will show both. Beginning with the edited." Ayame says.

"Wait. Why we have to see the same thing twice?" Kohran says not happy to wasting her time seeing some training from Benji. "Show the unedited already and we will save time."

"Okay then. I offer you all a choice. Vote now. You want to see both versions or the unedited. But I warn you all I wouldn't edit the tape for nothing." Ayame says to then in a serious tone. After a couple minutes they all vote to see the unedited tape. Taking out Tsubaki and Sakura who voted to see both.

"I see. To begin with it I will say this. When this tape begins you all will see many shocking scenes. I was supposed to be kidnapped by a group of ninjas. That was what Benji was thinking during the entire training. He never knew that was a training until was over." Ayame says placing a large roll of tape on a projector. The image in a screen is fully colored and shows Benji smashing a girl head on a wall before walking away inside a large Japanese style mansion. The hanagumi gasps in shock seeing that. Sakura and Tsubaki scream in terror seeing Benji first raid against a small group of ninjas. The hanagumi, kazegumi and Yoneda faces changes with fear, horror, disgust, shock and nausea. Ayame watches it all with a neutral expression. Much later they all show expressions of fear and shock when Benji laugh evilly while torturing a kunoichi. Tsubaki is covering her mouth with both hands holding back her vomit seeing in shock Benji guts a samurai. Sumire is very pale and looking faint. Kasumi fainted seeing him cut off the arms of a samurai. Kanna watches in shock with her face in the same color of Maria's. Sakura run to a trash bin when she sees Benji ripping out from a samurai his guts pulling then out after cutting it. Tsubaki followed her. Soon the tape reaches a part where Benji screams at Ayame. They all understand what he said. Ayame ordered to be placed legends on the film. And then it ends.

Ayame turn on the lights of the room and turns off the projector.

"Against Setsuna and Rasetsu he was with a bad ankle. Twisted and swollen. And he made then run away. Against the Kishi he was with many broken ribs, wounds and his ankle was broken. And he destroyed the machine while protecting Maria. Against the Sanada ninjas Benji was in his perfect health. He maimed, crippled, gutted and defeated one hundred and fifty ninjas alone." Ayame says "That before his training."

"Oh my god." Sakura says before diving for the trash bin again. "He killed then all…" Sumire says in a whisper.

"Wrong. He hasn't killed a single ninja that day." Ayame says. "Win with out killing the enemy is much harder than only killing then." Ayame have a smile on her lips.

"And you want him in our team!" Ogami asks "Yes." Ayame answers him. "I must say that you impressed me this time Ayame. You saw that skill on him where none of us saw." Yoneda says. "He will be a fine acquisition to the team." Yoneda says making the hanagumi gasp in surprise. Sumire already feeling faint faints.

"What made him fight like that?" Ogami asks swallowing a lump on his throat. "I said before I show the movie. As far he knew I was a prisoner of then. He went rescue me." Ayame says in atone that makes her look like a teacher admonishing a child who haven't paid attention to the lesson "In other words Ogami-kun, it was me who made him fight like that."

"That is why you said to Iris go study. You didn't want her to see this." Maria says "Why you are letting Iris get so close of him? He is a danger to us."

"As any of you are a danger to me and the others." Ayame replies in defense of her protégé. "Maria, any of you can do what he did. And you know that." And with a serious face and tone she asks "What make you less dangerous that him?"

Ayame question takes Maria totally off guard. As she stumble an answer the remaining hanagumi members ask themselves the same thing. All of then could do the same or even worse than him. In fact they weren't any different than him.

"Giving a reason Maria any of you would fight like that." Ayame explains to then.

"And why you were his reason?" Maria asks with her voice just above a whisper. "Because Benji is an outcast. He is a man who is far from home unable to talk to anyone, far from his friends and family and listening to a unknown language. And I was back then the closer thing of a friend that he had. I trusted in him with out showing a reason to do so. And Benji wanted to pay back my faith on him. Even if costed his own life. As long I was save he wouldn't care about his safety or life. That is what I learned." Ayame says to then.

"I learned in a very bitter way." She adds to herself.

"And what guarantee that he won't turn against us." Maria asks coldly. "What guarantee we have that any of you won't do so?" Ayame asks back to Maria that once again can't find a proper answer. "Maria I trust in Benji. I place my life on his hands if it is needed to. And I do the same to you and all the others." Ayame says. The hanagumi listen carefully.

"Benji is a really sweet guy. Very gentle and kind. I lived with him for three months. I shared a room with him. I can say with out doubt that he won't turn against us."

The hanagumi hear Ayame with surprise. "Unless I order him so he will always be in our side." She adds in a serious tone.

"What you mean?" Ogami asks not sure if he want to hear the answer. "Benji will obey any order that I give to him. That if he sees that the order it worth of being obeyed. If you turned into an enemy and I gave him the order to kill you. He would obey if that is the only choice for you." Ayame answers. "And you want us to trust in a man that will kill us if ordered so?" Kohran asks.

"Kohran, Ogami-kun and Maria would do the same if I ordered so." Ayame replies and Yoneda nods agreeing. Then they remember that both of then are soldiers. "My point here is not to make you all fear Benji. Or hate him." Ayame says in a gentle but serious tone. "I want to show to you what he can do in combat so you can rely on him in combat. Be friends with him. Because if you are Benji will do the impossible to help you if you get yourself in problems. I can affirm this with no shadow of doubt, Benji is very loyal to his friends."

They stay quiet. And Ayame gets up and begins to walk away. Kasumi and Sumire recover from the faint. "That fight really took that long?" Sakura asks to Ayame. "Yes Sakura. That fight happened in real time." Ayame answers.

"Oh my god! He defeated one hundred and fifty ninjas in three hours!" Sakura says scared.

"An important detail about his attack." Ayame says getting the attention of then all. "He arrived in the castle five hours before the estimated. In the time of his attack the Sanadas where with they guard down. The defenses where down and the best of then was away. Benji is not a kind of person to be underestimated. That is what caused his victory over the Sanadas. He was underestimated and he show us that it was a mistake." Ayame walks away after her last words leaving the hanagumi to weight then down and think over then. Ayame walks around the theater looking for Benji and Iris. She found then on the stage. Iris is sited over a blanket with her books under a tree with Jean-Paul sited besides her. Four meters over Iris, Ayame sees Benji lying on the tree strong branches with his back resting on the trunk, one of his legs is lazily hanging down as well his right arm making a counter balance to the left leg. He is with a simple blue bandana on his head covering his hair and ears. His eyes are closed and he seems to be sleeping in the tree made as part of the scenario. She can't help on smiling at the scene sweetness. She can hear a very faint music from the stop where she is. Ayame now moves curious to then. She knows by sure that isn't Iris humming. Or even Benji. And she can't recognize the music. Moving closer she sees that Iris noticed her. The French girl smiles at her. Ayame smiles back and looking up at Benji she notices a belt bag on his belt. And coming from it a thin black wire that is moving up to his head. And she recalls of seeing that when examining his belongings.

"Benji-kun." Ayame says under the face tree trying to get the man attention. "Benji-kun!"

Ayame notices that if he is not hearing her he is ignoring her. "BENJI-KUN!" she shouts kicking the tree trunk causing to the prop swing. Benji lost his balance and fall head first on the stage. Before the two females can gasp Benji stopped his fall landing on him right hand palm balancing himself vertically like that. Ayame and Iris let out a relieved sigh. Benji forces his arm and propels himself in the air. He spins on the air and land on his feet neatly. He removed the head phones. Ayame can hear the lyrics of the music that he was hearing. Know understanding why she heard the tunes in the other side of the room.

"What?" Benji asks to Ayame as if nothing happened. "The others will be busy for a while. So can you fix the lunch?" Ayame asks. "I guess that it is alright. But if they complain is your fault." Benji replies. Ayame nods and Benji walks to the kitchen. Iris returns to her studies now with Ayame helping her. Benji places the headphones and enter in the kitchen. He picks an apron and puts on looking on the fridges and shelves seeing what have in there and what he can make with it. Putting the goods on a table he looks at then saying in Portuguese.

"I guess that I can make some spaghetti, steaks, French fries and a salad. But I will have to make the tomato sauce." He picks a knife and start to cutting the potatoes humming the lyrics of a music.

About three hours later the hanagumi moves to the dinning hall. "Damn we was so focused in the meeting over that tape that we totally forgot about making lunch." Kanna groans angrily. "Don't worry Kanna-san. I am sure that we can fix something really fast." Sakura says trying to calm the tall Okinawan.

Maria opens the door and Kanna says after sniffing the air. "What is smelling so good?" they all see the table set. "God! This seems tasty!" she adds moving to the table and checking the food. She reaches to a plateful of French fries.

"Kanna you can eat it when we finish setting the table." Ayame says walking with a plateful of steaks with onions. Kanna moves hand away and sit down. "You cooked this all Ayame-san?" Sakura asks to the older woman.

Ayame smiles before answering "No. The responsible is walking in right now." And she points to Benji who is walking with a large tray filled with spaghetti. Iris is walking behind him holding a small dispenser filled with grated parmesan cheese.

"He cooked!" the hanagumi asks in shock. "Yes he did." Iris answers placing her load on the table next to where Benji placed the spaghetti. Benji removes a bandana from his head and take out the apron.

"Well why you all don't eat?" Ayame says sitting nest to Benji with Iris on his right. The hanagumi obeys hesitating. Everyone is served and the hanagumi tastes hesitating.

"This is great!" Kanna shouts after tasting. Sakura agrees with the red head statement. "It isn't as good as the ones that I usually eat but is acceptable." Sumire says stabbing a French fry with her fork. Kanna is inhaling the food in a fast pace. Ayame can tell that Benji is glad to have made large amounts of food. And the lunch time pass with a light mood. After eating a simple but tasty orange tasting cake the lunch is officially over. With only a small amount of leftovers already claimed by Kanna as an afternoon snack.

"I didn't know that you could cook." Maria asks to Benji before he walks away. "You would be surprised with the things that I can do." He answers "I cook, clean and sew too."

"And why you know how to do those feminine things?" she asks. "Cooking is basic for survival. And when I am hungry I can fix myself something. Clean is because it is needed. And sew, well you never know when you need to fix a button or close a rip on a shirt or pants." He replies walking away leaving a surprised Maria behind.

End of the chapter seven.

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

Portuguese glossary:

Peçonha: It means poison or venom in Portuguese.

OMAKE:

Battle against the Kuronosukai.

"Now that the evil minded niichan isn't here we can play." Setsuna says. "I wouldn't count on that." Iris says to him. Setsuna freezes with the smile on Iris lips. He recognizes as the same smile that Benji hand when shooting at him those images. "Iris asked to be trained by Master Benji." She says the others gasp at Iris statement. They can sense that the master that she used wasn't meant to be like teacher of something. "Feel the invincible power of the dark side of the hentai!" Iris shouts attacking Setsuna with a powerful mental probe.

"Stop! God please stop!" Setsuna cries falling on the ground trying to remove the images. "GOD NO!"

"Yes! Scream for me!" Iris shouts sending more images "Now feel the terror of the yaoi!"

"I don't think that I want to know what she is doing." Ogami says voicing the words that all then are thinking. The others nod agreeing. Ten minutes later Setsuna escapes, Benji appears from the stairs with his clothes out of place. "Master! Master! I did it! I used the dark powers that you gave me to defeat Setsuna!" Iris shouts running to him and hugging his waist. "What I said about bragging?" Benji says scolding the girl. Iris goes a little down. "But you did a fine job. But remember don't brag." Iris lithe up again.

"What you are teaching for her?" Ogami asks not noticing that Benji is speaking Japanese. "Nothing of your business." Benji replies moving down the stairs.

"Please teach me about that dark side of the hentai!" Kanna shouts running after him. Benji stops and looks at her. "Are you sure the training isn't easy. And you will have to be totally submissive to me. I mean you are my slave. And I will do anything that I want with you." Benji says to her "You still want to learn?"

"Please Master I will do anything! Own me! But please give me your dark power!" Kanna begs to him. "Fine then. Come I will begin your training as soon we get in my room." Benji says. "Yes Master! Thank you very much!" Kanna cries moving down with him.

Ayame and the hanagumi meeting about Benji training.

"I will be showing to you all what happened in the first day of Benji training." Ayame says turning on the projector. It shows Benji bonded chains wearing only a pair of boxers. Ayame appears on the camera wearing a tight and figure hugging leather lingerie and very high heels leather boots. And the leather is shining. She is with a whip on her hands. She cracks the whip on his skin.

"You will obey me!" she says before whipping him one more time. "I won't!" Benji shouts. "You will!" and she whips him again. Every time that she whips him she shouts that he will obey her. "Ack! Wrong tape!" Ayame gasps trying to turn it off but she is stopped by Kasumi and Yuri. Then Benji manages to escape from the chains and pull the whip from Ayame, she protests and he ties her on the ceiling and spanks her butt. He doesn't say a word but after one minute Ayame cries "Please master hit me more!"

And the scenes get even darker and Ayame manages to turn it off. "Master?" Sumire asks teasing. Sakura, Ogami and Tsubaki fainted with severe nosebleeds and Ayame is in a dark red shade blushing until her hair line.

"You never did that to me!" Maria cries at Ayame "Why you never bondaged me!"

Ayame blushes even more. "Don't worry Maria, I am sure that her Master will love to do that to you." Kanna says teasing.

"Well he told me that he is attracted to you." Ayame says. "If we beg properly I am sure that he will punish us." Maria lithe up and run to the theater trying to found him with Ayame on her heels. "Yoneda is dead, Ogami, Sakura and Tsubaki are out of cold." Kohran says "SO you girls want to see what else he did to her?" Kanna asks cheerfully.

"Sure!" the remaining girls shout at the red head.

The dinner.

"So why you learned to cook?" Maria asks to Benji. "Because I like to cook. Specially a breakfast to take in the bed for a special someone after a tiring night." Benji answers to Maria in provocative tone. The Sannin musume grabs Benji and drag him away.

"Tire us!" they shout dragging him to Kasumi room. Kanna races after then.

"He will be tiring me!" she shouts removing Benji from the trio iron grip.

"He will be tiring me!" Sakura shouts removing Benji from Kanna using a rubber snake. "He will make me breakfast!" Sumire shouts tripping Sakura and grabbing Benji by the elbow. "Benji-niichan will make Iris breakfast!" Iris shouts zapping Sumire. Soon the hanagumi and the kazegumi are in a major fight over who will be the one who will be bedded and get a special breakfast.

"This is kind of flattering." Benji says seeing the dust cloud over the fighting group. And Ayame also joined then. "So you make pancakes?" Ogami asks standing besides Benji.

"I can make then. But I don't play in your team sailor boy." Benji replies.

Ogami pouts "Why can't never find a handsome man to myself." He says in a high pitched voice.

"I knew that he was gay. Otherwise why he wouldn't go after then?" Benji mutters. "You have all those girls who would be happy to have you. How could you turn in to a gay?" Benji asks.

"I was so lonely on the navy training camp. And then I was comforted by him. And my life changed." Ogami replies.

"Let me guess, Kayama?" Benji says. Ogami nods with a dreamy look. Benji groans disgusted. "I need to get the Yama-chan now." Ogami says moving to the rooms. "I don't even want to know what it is." Benji mutters.

"What you can do involving fruits and a sweet syrup?" Maria asks casually. "In the bed or for breakfast?" Benji asks back. "For both." Maria answers. "Well for breakfast a fruit salad using the syrup to add an extra touch." Benji says "Now for the bed, that needs demonstrations." He adds.

"Sound interesting. Let's get then." Maria says, Benji nods to her. "Can I get whipped cream, honey, jelly and some chocolate?" Benji asks while they move to the kitchen.

"Can you take it all?" Maria asks teasing. "I will not be eating then alone." He replies "I will make sure that you get some too." Maria smiles while they gather the goods before moving to her room.


	9. Training and problems

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Chapter eight: Training and problems.

Teito December second 1922

The hanagumi watch Benji training on the koubu simulator. They can't help on gasping in surprise that he is doing much better than he should be. Ayame smiles at then and explain that he had a two weeks training on the simulator during his three months training. Like Sakura and the others did Benji basic training consists in dodging, blocking and attacking energy balls in a dark area. The holographic koubu is painted with a dark metal blue paint and with the shoulders, elbows and knees in dark blood red. Benji koubu have a katana on the waist, two combat knifes and a shotgun on the back. Benji is holding the knifes dodging the constants attacks. But he takes then occasionally. After few more minutes the simulation ends and Benji leave the fake cockpit.

(Fifty three percent of dodges, twenty two of blocks and twenty five of hits. And half of then was light. Not bad at all.) Ayame says to him. Benji stretches, his back pops loudly and he let out a pleasure sigh. The hanagumi stares at him. "He is faster than you guys. So he can react faster. But his piloting skills are far inferior." Ayame says to the hanagumi. "He dodged out of instinct." She adds. The hanagumi members enter in the simulators and Benji is led to another room.

"Okay Benji-kun. Is like I explained to you. It is time to test yours and Ogami-kun strategic abilities. Do your best." Ayame says leaving the room before Benji can replies. He sits on a chair facing a computer and three women who are wearing the Tsukigumi uniform are facing other computer. "Each of you already know what to do. Let's make then sweat." Benji says to the trio. They nod typing commands the respective computer. Benji does the same thing with his giving orders every now and then. In the command center Yoneda and Ayame watch a fight by a computer screen. The hanagumi koubus fighting against altered versions of the koubu. All painted patterns that resemble the Japanese Onis. As well build to look like then. The Onis are in thirty. Most of then are using axes, swords and spears. And the hanagumi is fighting then. The battle grounds are the Ginza district. And the hanagumi keeps pressing the attack. Ogami shouts orders to then keep pressing. Not knowing that two rooms away from there Benji smiles as a cat who caught his pray.

"Long range units begin the attack." He says. And one of the girls who were no longer typing began to do so. And from houses and alleys twenty new Onis appear. All of then armed or with rocket launchers or handguns. And they fire at the hanagumi. Ogami curses loudly when the hanagumi takes the damage. Kohran can't respond the fire since her ammo had finished earlier on the combat. Maria is having problems to aim at the Onis since they are covered by houses. After long minutes the hanagumi manages to defeat the Onis. They leave the simulators covered with seat.

"How they where so smart?" Sumire says "The enemy never fought like that before."

"You all need to plan on the unexpected." Ayame says "You all did a great job. Rest for now. After the lunch we will hold another training section."

The hanagumi nods and moves away. Iris looks at her friends. She saw the battle with Yoneda and Ayame. Benji leaves the room with a content smile.

"You where great Benji-kun. With the Onis and just the trio you managed to make then work really hard." Ayame says to him. "It was hard you know. The Onis are weaker than the koubus. And the girls can act independent of constant orders." Benji replies.

"You need to consider that they are used to fight like that. The trio isn't." Ayame says and Benji nods. Iris looks at him. Ayame have explained to her the reason of that training. Not even the kazegumi knew about Benji and his small team. After all is a training for then too. The kazegumi needs to inform the hanagumi with facts about the battle. And if they knew about Benji they would tell then. And Yoneda wants to the kazegumi learn to act more independent so they can help even more in battle. Benji stretch letting out a sigh. And the man walks away. Iris moves to her team mates to hear what they thought of the battle.

A half hour after the lunch.

Benji is on his room typing in a small computer, courtesy of Ayame. He is with his head phones and hearing some songs from his CD player. His back is turned for the door and he types slowly. He stops and sighs tired. He closes his eyes resting his hands on the desk besides the computer. In silence two slender arms wrap themselves around his neck and chest like snakes. Ayame rests her chin on his right shoulder and softly tightens her arms around his chest and neck.

"How it is going?" she asks at him touching her cheek with his affectionately. "It is hard. I am used to write fanfictions. So I can place characters from others series on it. But now I have to make an original one. And I can't place anyone in it." He replies opening his eyes.

"Wasn't you who said that our relation was only a one time thing?" he asks in a lightly teasing tone.

"Shush." Ayame spouts. Benji smiles enjoying the closeness. Since the first night together Ayame and him never made love again. But she became very touchy, using every chance possible to hug or kiss the lost man. Lonely Benji never actually complained of the closeness. Both seeking comfort in those actions. But not sure if they are only seeking comfort in the arms of someone who are also lonely or it is something deeper. But that never prevented them of still doing it. Ayame moves her body back one step and Benji gets the cue, and moves the chair backwards. Ayame sits on his lap keeping her grip on his neck. He moves the chair back forward again. She looks at the screen.

"Desperate love. Shimaru, love above honor. Part one Tale of a fallen samurai." Ayame reads in loud, "The title is good." She adds, she moves a cursor on the screen moving it down reading a bit more of the just written script. After few minutes she reaches on the part where he stopped.

"Really nice." She says giving him a quick peck on the lips. "But there are too many roles. One of the wives roles, the prince and one of the councilors roles will be empty."

"I know. The wife and councilor can be removed since they aren't important. But the prince is needed for the story sake. He is the reason that Shimaru and the princess eloped." Benji says explaining the play to her. "I see. But who will be filling the prince role?" Ayame asks to the writer.

"Well I was thinking on a certain someone." Benji replies teasing.

"Well I will tell Ogami-kun to get ready." Ayame says getting back on her feet. Benji hold her wrist and softly tug her down making her fall sited on his lap. She let out a cute cry of surprise with the action.

"I never said that the prince would be acted by a male." Benji whispers to her. And Ayame finally understand what he was saying. "Wait! I never acted before!" Ayame cries. "That didn't stop you and Yoneda to placing the girls in acting. Even Sakura who never acted." Benji says to her. "I am sure that you will do really fine. And we will need to change the play after all Iris is too young to be a wife or a councilor."

Ayame blushes with his words. "Come on Benji-kun I can't act." She says in a pleading tone. "Really? And how you made me believe that you was kidnapped by ninjas?" he asks teasing. She blushes in shame of being recalled about her fault. Benji gives her a kiss.

"I know that you will do it well. The prince part is really small. You will only show three times not more than six on the tops." Benji says trying to cheer her. Ayame nods understanding. She knows that she can't blain him, all that idea was hers. So she has to make few sacrifices for it. "I will act. But if I embarrass myself I will punish you really badly." She says getting up again. This time Benji don't stops her. Ayame bends over and gives him a kiss.

"It is time to train again." She says after the kiss. And they move away.

In the training command room.

Benji and Ayame arrive after the others. "Good now we can begin the second part of this training." Yoneda says. "Now Ogami you won't be leading the hanagumi on his part of the training."

"I see sir. Maria will be taking the lead then?" Ogami says to his commanding officer. "Wrong." Yoneda says. "For this part of the training Benji will be leading the hanagumi."

"What!" the entire hanagumi and kazegumi shouts in shock. "He doesn't speak Japanese!" Maria says pointing to him.

"Actually Maria I do speak Japanese." Benji says to her in a perfect Japanese. "God he speaks like Ayame! They have the same accent!" Sakura says stating the obvious. "Sakura I teached him. It is only natural that he has my accent from Kanto." Ayame says to Sakura.

"You mean that since he returned he could have talked to us!" Kanna asks. "He could. But he already knew about this cross leading training. So he asked me to keep it in secret." Ayame says.

"But why?" Kohran asks. "That is simple. Benji was the enemy that you faced this morning. And he could hear everything that you guys talked on the radio. And he understood it. Not only that, since you all thought that he didn't spoke Japanese you talked in front of him. He is a ninja. A spy." Ayame explains to them. The hanagumi is shocked. Once again they underestimated him.

"And why he could hear our radio frequency?" Maria asks voicing Ogami question. "Because you never know when the enemy might do the same. He gave orders in a very simple way that anyone can understand. Even the enemy." Benji answers for Ayame. "What would happen if the enemy could hear your radio talks?"

Maria doesn't answer but she and Ogami know the answer for it. "Fine. But why he will lead us?" Sumire asks trying very hard not to snap. "Because I want to see how he can command troops in combat. And we never know if a tragedy can happens and we lose both Ogami-kun and Maria. If that happen who would lead the rest of you?" Ayame says in a serious tone. "Think of Benji as a back up leader in case that Maria and Ogami-kun are unable to do so. Of course depending of how well he does in the training."

Ogami is shaking with anger closing his hands in tight fists. He can feel the lost of power as a hit in the head. "Ogami-kun you will be leading the Onis. You girls obey Benji-kun as you would obey Ogami-kun." Ayame orders to them. The nod agreeing. Not happy in doing so but obeying. "Ogami-kun, I am sure that you remember of the pre-battle set up that I gave you earlier. Do you?" Ayame asks to Ogami.

"I remember. But why that?" he asks. "That was the available troops and equipment that you will have in this battle. That is why had two sets. One was for the hanagumi. And the other is for the Onis. As you Benji-kun made a set up before this training. So don't think that he is cheating. He only planned in a different way." Ayame explains to him. He nods and Ayame leads him to the Onis command center. And the training begins. They are in another area of Teito, on an industrial area. Benji quickly study the map and orders the hanagumi to move to access points. Blocking the path of the Onis who would try to attack the city behind the hanagumi. Benji moves alone to a bridge and stays there with his sword on his hand. Kanna moves to another one with Maria behind her. And Sumire moves to the last bridge. Kohran koubu is pulling a cart filled with ammunitions, a pair of spare swords for Benji and Sakura, spare claws to Kanna and a spare naginata to Sumire. Kohran is places between Sumire and Benji. And as Maria she is not on the first line of combat. They can see the Onis moving for them. And in the first line are the long ranged ones. Benji orders to Maria and Kohran focus the fire on the long ranged ones. Benji also fire at then. And soon the few long ranged equipped Onis are destroyed. Ogami curses himself for allowing that to happen. But unlike Ogami, Benji is not pressing the attack. And soon Ogami realize why. Benji is taking down two Onis at time. Since only two of them can pass by the bridges. And they form a long line that is vulnerable to Kohran and Maria fire. The hanagumi also notices the strategy. They are in a slow but steady rate destroying the Onis. And after sometime they move passing by the fallen army. All of them warrior used the spare weapons in the long combat. Ogami is cornered in a depot and he sends his last Onis to attack the hanagumi.

"Now Sakura." Benji says in the radio. "Ryokai!" Sakura shouts. And Ogami watches in shock Sakura koubu breaking the depot wall and destroying his own unit with a single blow. As the others he forgot about Sakura. Since by Benji orders she wasn't engaged in combat. But moving by the sides to reach Ogami hide out. And Benji strategy was flawless. Ogami and his army were defeated. The training is over and they all gather in the briefing room. There is a tense silence in the room.

"To begin this briefing, I would like to say that you all did a great job." Yoneda says to them. Ayame loads a graphic in the room large screen. Above two graphics there are the names Himura and Ogami. "This battle training was for sure something that gave to you all a very precious experience." Yoneda continues. "And also shows the merits and flaws of both strategists. Benji haven't planned as Ogami. And he took a long time to defeat a large number of enemies. He took three times longer than Ogami to engage an attack. And the battle lasted longer than the estimated. But it also showed that Benji worried not only with the immediate battle like Ogami does. This is what each of then requested for the hanagumi."

And with those words from Yoneda, the hanagumi look at the screen.

"Benji asked for extra weapons and ammunition. He gave then to Kohran to carry. After all she can only fight in long range. So she needs to stay far of the direct combat. So slowing her down is acceptable." Ayame says to them. "Ogami-kun hasn't asked for anything other than the koubus regular equipment. And I am sure that you all recall that Maria and Kohran runned out of ammo and Benji-kun still had hidden long ranged units hidden."

"This is the chances of the team fighting another battle after the first one." Yoneda says and Ayame changes the screen. "As you can see after Ogami the chances of winning a following battle are below thirty percent. And after Benji the chances are higher than seventy five percent. If there was another enemy after the first one the battle would be much harder for Ogami. After all the koubus was pretty damaged and Maria and Kohran was out of ammo. And Benji with him the koubus was with light damage and Maria and Kohran still had half of they total ammo supplies. That after reloading." Yoneda explains to them. "I admit that the damages would be even less if he used Sakura to fight. Not only to just kill Ogami. But it was a smart move." Yoneda adds.

"Ogami strategy was fast and precise. But only focused in the single battle that he is fighting. Benji strategy was slow, careful and very precise. Focused in long term battles. I am sure that with others sections like this one we will see that today strategies was only one part of each of them strategies." Yoneda says to them. "I am sure that both of you will become really good with this training."

But Ogami is not hearing the commander. He is too angry because Benji defeated him. Not only defeated him but his commander was saying that the amateur was a better strategist than him. The briefing continues for a few more minutes before it ends.

Benji is not exactly happy about the events. He saw how Ogami have taken all the training. And he recognized the look on the young officer eyes. He felt threatened, afraid of losing his position as the leader of the hanagumi. And because of those he is acting like his namesake animal a wolf. And he felt that Benji is a threat for his leadership and territory. Benji sighs moving to his room. He knows that things won't be easy for him.

"OI! MATTE!" a voice calls from Benji making him stops and looks over his shoulders. He sees Kanna running at his direction. "Damn." He thinks seeing Kanna breasts bouncing up and down while she runs. "I need a cold shower now. Or some time with Ayame. What happens first." He adds on his thoughts. "Nani o Kanna?" he asks to the tall red head.

"Hey do you mind in teaching me few of your moves?" Kanna asks stopping in front of him breathing a bit roughly. "I guess that it will be Ayame and a cold shower. That if I manage to convince her." He thinks.

"But why you want to learn them?" Benji asks "I mean your karate is great."

"I know. But you have some moves that I never saw before. And some of them are really cool." The red head says excited. "Cold shower. Ice cold shower." He thinks.

"We can spar. But I am not sure that you will be able to learn some of my moves. Most of then I changed to suit my needs. I tried to teach a friend once and she wasn't able to perform the move. You know men and women have different gravity centers." Benji says to her. "Well I am taking the chances." She exclaims dragging Benji to the training room. Benji smiles happy because Kanna is being friendly. On the way she keeps saying that she will be teaching him her Okinawan karate in exchange for his own style. And Benji is on the training room sited on the mats while Kanna changes to her karate gi. When she returns she sees Benji boots tossed in a corner. He is bare feet stretching.

"You don't want to use a gi? I have a spare one." Kanna asks. "I am fine. I am used to fight in casual clothes. When I fight are more brawls and there isn't time to change into kimonos." Benji replies. Kanna understand his reasons. Kanna gets in a basic stance of her style. Benji assumes a basic one too. His left foot is in front of himself and his left hand too. His right hand is closed into a fist, kept low by his right side.

"His stance is so wrong. His left hand should be closed not open like that. He seems to be holding something." She thinks analyzing his position. His left hand is open as if he was holding a large can. "Do we need a signal or something?" Benji asks. "Attack when you feel up to. I will do the same." Kanna replies. Benji nods. And then he charges at Kanna really fast. The red head is taken back and Benji left hand connects to her neck. She feels a very strong pressure around her neck. The tips of his fingers are pressing tightly two nervous centers on her neck, sending intense pain over her body. She chokes unable to draw a breath. And she feels his momentum forcing her behind fast as he continues to charge forward until he slams her into the wall behind her. And the new impact stuns Kanna. She feels him forcing his left hand strongly on her neck and she feels her feet losing the ground as he lifts her. He is forcing her up using his right hand under his left wrist to lift her.

"Do you yield?" Benji asks to her. Kanna nods too stunned to react in any way. Benji lower her and let her go. Kanna hands moves to her neck while she rubs her neck breathing deeply.

"Sorry Kanna. I guess that I was too rough." Benji says apologizing to the red head that just sited on the mats taking deep breaths savoring the air. She waves her hand at him. "It is okay. I called the spar. You got me good." She says between breaths. "That is why your stance was wrong. Your hand. You keep it like that to grab the opponent neck."

"That is right. Let me see it." Benji says carefully moving Kanna hands from her neck. He sees two bruises in the place where he pressed the nerves. He moves behind her and softly massages her neck. "That feels good." Kanna purrs while relaxing and taking slow breaths.

"Sorry about it. When I fight I want to end it quickly. So my usual first move is that strangling tackle. If I manage to grab a neck the match is over." He says to her. "I can understand why. The grip was really strong. And the constant pain prevented me from thinking in a better reaction." Kanna says "It is an interesting move. But it isn't a good move to be used over and over again."

"I know that." He says massaging over the two sore spots and the area of the neck where he strangled her. "That is a surprise move. As well an ending move. In brawls you usually don't fight the same person over and over again. So having a strong move like that and using over and over until perfected it is not a bad strategy." Kanna nods agreeing.

"You have really strong hands." Kanna says enjoying the massage. "And you are good doing that."

"I have experience." Benji replies. He recalls that his grandmother had taken a massage course and she teached him. And he massaged his mother once and a while and he did the same with his ex-girlfriend in a regular basis of course that a very different way.

"Feeling better?" Benji asks. "Yes! Now I will win!" She replies energetically. Benji smiles and they get in the same stances. But this time Kanna is ready for what he called 'strangling tackle'. So when it came Kanna blocked. But as a ninja Benji is not someone who fight fair. And he gives a low kick on Kanna making her fall after hitting her ankles. Benji jumps over her immobilizing her as a wrestler. Or at least trying. Kanna is stronger and manages to break free from the lock. Not used to ground combats like that she is surprised to see when Benji tackle her down. He sits over her stomach with one leg in one side of her straddling her. She sees him pulling back his arm and covers her face with her arms blocking the punch. But it never came instead came a light pat on her arms.

"Another round?" Benji asks to her. "Sure." Kanna replies not sure of why he didn't beatted her up like that. She couldn't even try using her legs to take him off her. She is getting annoyed with the fact that Benji unknown style is taking her down time after time. And that before she can lay strike on him. Now Kanna tries taking the first move. Benji sidestep her and grab her arm. Before she can react she feels her body being lifted. She recognizes the moves as a usual judo throw. But in mid air Benji forces the move around twisting her arm and tossing her in the original direction of the wall on her back. She lands hard over her chest and hit her face on the mats. She gets up breathing a bit hard. She rubs her nose and sees some blood on it.

"You are pretty good. You just used a judo throw." Kanna says cleaning her nose with her sleeve. "I changed that one a bit." Benji says. Kanna nods softly rubbing her shoulder thankful that the joint haven't snapped or dislocated with the move. "I noticed." The red head says getting up. "But coming from you I feel really flattered." Benji says.

Once again they get in them basic stances. Now Kanna is not sure of how attack Benji. So far she only fell into his strikes.

"What I can do? His style is unknown and he is good." Kanna thinks looking at him. "That it! He doesn't kick! He never gave a high kick. So that must be the strike that I will use." Kanna smiles and attack Benji with a series of kicks. But she forgot a very important detail. Benji took off his boots. And if he didn't use high kicks why he would bother in taking then out? Kanna failed to notice that she fell in another trap of the ninja. Between a blocked kick and a new one Benji swings his body, Kanna stares trying to finishing her move. But a high speed foot impacts on her left arm. And being unbalanced Kanna falls again. Benji right foot lands on the mats and he recovers his balance.

"Are you hurt Kanna?" Benji asks kneeling close to her. "Gotcha!" Kanna shouts tackling him. Using the same straddling move that Benji gave. She raises her hand to pack a punch. But Benji shows how to get out of that. He holds her bottom and forcing themselves to the side he invert the position. Now Kanna legs are wrapped against his waist and he is over her. Startled Kanna reacts slowly. But she reacts. And punches Benji on the face. Benji also punch her. But on her chest. Kanna punch is by far stronger and makes the ninja dizzy. But Benji punch connected right over her diaphragm knowing the air out of her lungs. Benji falls over Kanna. She stays there breathing hard. Tsubaki passes by the training hall seeing the scene. She blushes into a deep shade of crimson and runs away to spread the gossip. After a couple of minutes recovering Kanna let Benji got and he moves to his side falling besides Kanna.

"Really good trap." Benji says rubbing his injured eye. "Good kick." Kanna says rubbing her still sore shoulder. "I thought that you didn't use high kicks. Only low kicks."

Benji smiles at her confession "That is part of my basic strategy. I am really good with kicks. Especially high ones. So I keep then as a last resource. If I can win with punches and with strikes with the knee I will use that." Benji says to her "And people think that I can't kick high. So when I do I take them by surprise." Kanna nods knowing that she feel for that really good. "Another round?" the red head asks.

"Give me a couple of minutes." Benji replies. Kanna nods also feeling the aftereffects of the hits. After recovering they got back up. "Okay can we fight all out? And with out you using tricks on me?" Kanna asks to Benji.

"I guess that it is okay." Benji answers. "Hold on." Kanna says running to the changing room leaving a confused Benji behind. She returns carrying protectors. She hands to Benji some and then puts then on herself. Benji follow her lead. The protection covers his fists, elbows, knees and foot. It also has a small helmet.

"I never needed to use them with Taisho because we just spar lightly. But I want to go all out with you. So we will need them." Kanna explains to Benji while putting her helmet. "We don't want to get seriously hurt while training." Benji nods agreeing. He tests the protection feeling slight uncomfortable with them. He tosses few kicks and punches to get used to them. Kanna let him get used, and using that moment to try seeing more of Benji personal style.

"Okay. I am ready." Benji says getting on his base stance. Kanna nods and gets on her own stance. "One thing Kanna."

"What?" the red head asks "No hits on my groin area okay?" Benji says. Kanna nods understanding and with a light blush. And they begin. This time Benji isn't using his large variety of tricks and distractions blows. Both block and attack. Kanna hits are stronger than Benji's. But his are faster than Kanna's. It is an even match. Kana manages to get a grip on Benji shirt and tosses him down on the mats. She moves to punch him. But his foot connects to her head. More precisely his hell on Kanna forehead. Kanna is surprised to see him giving a kick like that. She was coming from his shoulders direction. And he kicked higher than his own head. Benji jumps back up using the moment after the kick to put his guard up. Kanna does the same. After long minutes they end the fight with a high kick. Shinbone against shinbone. And Kanna feels the difference of powers of her kick with Benji's. His are slightly stronger and way faster. Both of them fall on the mats.

"So can we call this a draw?" Benji says not in the mood to get up. "Sure. I am beat." Kanna replies agreeing. And the sweaty duo takes it time to recover. A half hour later Benji and Kanna moves to the dinning hall. Both freshen up after the sparring section. Of course with a handful of bruises.

"By the way you are religious?" Kanna asks to him in the hall. "No. But why you are asking?" Benji replies. "Well I ripped your shirt on the match. And I saw a cross necklace on your neck. And if I am not wrong that is the symbol of catholic religion right?" Kanna says.

"Well Brazil is a catholic country. I was baptized and did the first communion. But I am not exactly religious. I don't practice. Or even pray. And more than sure I am not exactly a follower of the Ten Commandments." Benji says to her. "And then why you use it?" Kanna asks confused.

"It was a gift from a dear friend. I found it in the middle of my things. Since I am facing demons I might need every help that I can get. Even from religion. Even not being a follower. And it is a reminder of my friends back home" Benji replies. "Makes sense." Kanna says "Well I just know that the exercise made me hungry. I hope that they have fixed something tasty."

Benji smiles at Kanna remark. But he is also hungry. They get inside the dinning hall and are greeted by a very angry hanagumi. Out of his guard Benji is hitted by a punch throw by Ogami. But the ninja reflexes catch up and Benji grab Ogami arm and the next thing that fills the air is the nauseous sound of a joint dislocating. Ogami is on his knees while Benji keeps forcing the dislocated shoulder and pressing it with his free hand. Ogami screams in pain. Maria pulls her gun. Kanna gets between Maria and Benji.

"Get out of the way Kanna!" Maria shouts to the red head. "NO WAY!" Kanna replies to Maria. "If I leave you will kill him!"

"That is the idea!" Maria shouts back. They hear the sound of metal against metal, they turn and see Benji holding his open butterfly knife on Ogami neck. "I don't know what the hell is going on. But if you girls don't put the weapons down the sailor boy here will gain a second mouth." Benji says pressing the cold metal against Ogami neck. And as Maria knows the light pressure causes to the razor sharp knife to begin to cut Ogami skin. A drop of blood escapes from the small cut and the blade. The hanagumi gasps. Kanna is surprised but she understands Benji action. Maria and Sumire look ready to kill him. The hanagumi girls put down the weapons. "Move to the other side of the table." Benji orders. They obey. Kanna stays close. Benji removes the knife from Ogami neck and let the man go. Benji picks Maria revolver and unloads it. Kanna looks at him and at the hanagumi. Benji takes a deep breath to calm himself.

"Now why you attack me?" Benji asks to the hanagumi. "How can you ask that?" Ogami spat at Benji. "You attacked Kanna." Maria says in a cold tone. "Attack?" Benji asks "Well that is true. Other wise how we would spar?" Kanna says not understanding. "He tricked you!" Ogami says "That is true. He has many tricks." Kanna says not picking up the intended meaning. "He raped you! Stupid monkey!" Sumire shouts "He what!" Kanna asks "What? I never raped Kanna." Benji says "Don't lie to us. Tsubaki saw it all!" Maria says getting angrier. "I don't believe on this." Benji mutters. "Kanna keep them far of the weapons. I will get Tsubaki and set the things straight." Benji says to the red head moving away to the kazegumi office. Maria tries to reach for her gun and the bullets and Kanna pushes Maria away softly. "No. I do not understand what is going on. But I agree that letting you guys picking the weapons are not wise. Please Maria stay back. I don't want to hurt you for a misunderstanding." Kanna says in a worried voice. "Kanna he is going to kill Tsubaki! Then he will make some odd story to cover it up! We can't let that rapist stay unpunished." Maria says.

"Maria he didn't raped me. We were sparring." Kanna says "He was tricking you! He convinced you that it was training!" Maria says with Ogami backing her up. "Then it wouldn't be rape because I was consenting." Kanna replies. The duo stays quiet. They know that Kanna is right. Benji walks in carrying Tsubaki by the scurf of her neck. She is protesting against the treatment.

"Now what the hell you saw and what you told to them?" Benji asks to Tsubaki in a strong tone. Tsubaki gets hard with fear. "I saw you and Kanna in the training room. She was with her legs wrapped around your waist and panting. Your clothes were ripped and was bleeding. I told them that." Tsubaki says too scared to lie. "That was what you saw. And what you said?" Benji asks knowing that Tsubaki tends to distort the facts. "I said them that!" Tsubaki says.

"Ah that!" Kanna exclaims "I ripped his shirt by mistake when I tossed him on the floor. I punched him over the left eye and he punched me in the stomach. He knocked the air out from me."

The hanagumi look at the red head and the brunet. And then to the chestnut haired girl. "So you all jumped conclusions and were willing to kill me for a mistake of your own judgment." Benji says in a cold tone. "We was sparing because Kanna asked."

"And the bleeding was because we weren't using the proper protection." Kanna adds.

"And if I was raping Kanna I would need to tie her up and strip her!" Benji shouts in anger. "It is not possible do it fully clothed! And I would never rape Kanna!" Benji looks at Kanna. "No offence. You are a very pretty girl. But I would never force anyone into sex." Benji says to Kanna in a normal tone. "No offence taken." Kanna replies feeling oddly warm inside for being called of pretty. "By the love of God guys. You are all smarter than this. You all hate him so much to use a small fact heard from Tsubaki of all people to try to kill Benji?" Kanna asks to the hanagumi members. Iris isn't there. Sakura wasn't armed but when Benji ordered around she followed afraid for Ogami's life. "I already said many times in the past months what I wanted to train with him. And when I do you blow the things out of proportion." Kanna continues to scolds the hanagumi. Benji smacks Tsubaki in the head.

"Before spreading a gossip or lies try to think the damage that it will cause." Benji says walking away. He closes the knife while moving to the door. "And you guys could at least try asking before hitting. And go talk to Ayame about the shoulder." Benji says closing the door behind him. "He is right." Kanna says "What happened to you all?" and after saying that Kanna leave following Benji. When she reaches the hall he is not there. As if vanished in the thin air. Outside the theater Benji walks by Teito snow covered streets. It is one hour past noon and the city is empty because the cold.

"How long how long will I slide

Separate my side I don't

I don't believe it's bad

Slit my throat

It's all I ever…" Benji sings in a whisper. His hands are in his pockets while he careless strolls by the cold city.

In Yoneda office.

"What you mean by he vanished!" Yoneda shouts to Kanna, Ogami and Maria. "And what the hell you two had in mind by trying to kill him!"

Ogami and Maria cringe with Yoneda shouts. "Benji doesn't have any knowledge of how walk on the city. And what if the enemy decides to attack? And worse than that what if you two caused him to lost his trust? You really think that he will bother to aiding one of you two in battle? In a life or death situation?" Yoneda continues.

"Benji might not be able to properly pilot a koubu yet. But he is still a precious part of this team." Yoneda adds calming himself.

"And what he can do that any of us can't?" Ogami asks.

Yoneda smirks "Can you take over a ninja castle by assault alone against over one hundred ninjas, armed only with a three pairs of knifes?" Yoneda asks sarcastically. Ogami pales and his shoulders fall a bit. Yoneda notices and continues. "Can you stand after doing that pass over a twenty hours training every days for three months? Doing exercises with a fifty kilos bag pack over you the entire period? Doing push ups with Ayame and the bag pack over your back? Or pulling yourself over a bar with Ayame and the bag tied on your feet?"

Now Kanna and Maria pale, none of them heard what exactly Benji passed during his training.

"Can you do all that and more to return back to a place where you were attacked many times with a smile on your face and act like nothing happened?" This last question Kanna was the one who asked. "Taisho you can pass by all that and give an honest smile like the ones that he gives to Iris?"

Ogami is taken back by Kanna questions and stays in silence. "Why you are defending him Kanna?" Maria asks. "Because I think that he is a nice guy. I admit that my first impression of him wasn't a good one. But no one that can give a smile like the one that he gives to Iris can be bad. He can fight like a bad person. But I can see on his eyes that he isn't." Kanna answers.

"You really think that a man that can do what he did to those people can be good?" Maria replies. "Can you say that you would have done different?" Kanna asks to Maria. "In his situation. That was an understandable action. I can't even say that if was me I would have let them live."

With those words Kanna leave the office leaving Maria and Ogami shocked behind and a smiling Yoneda. "Benji got friendly with Kanna fast. As well Iris. I hope that the others will see that he is needed to the team soon." Yoneda thinks looking at the shocked duo.

Far from the theater

Benji leaves an alley cleaning some snow from his pants. On the alley there is the battered form of seven men on the ground. There is five knifes on the ground and Benji have two knifes just like the ones on the ground on the back of his belt. He pulls a pack of notes from his shirt pocket and counts them.

"Two hundred yens. I guess that this might be enough for a night in the town." Benji mutters looking at the bettered pile. "Now remember stealing is bad." He says to them pocketing the money and walking down the street covering the knifes with his jacket.

"Dream of Californication..." Benji sings softly now in a far better mood than few minutes before. Benji walks under a simple gate dividing the city block where he was and the pleasure district. He walks around for a while and enters in a random house. A young geisha greets him. Benji asks for a discrete table and some sake. The geisha takes him to a small room and leaves soon returning with a small bottle of warm sake. Benji sit sin Indian style and lets the young woman serve him the warm drink trying to just forget the incident with the hanagumi. The geisha softly reaches for a biwa and plays a gentle tune that helps Benji to relax.

End of the chapter eight:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own Other side and Californication, both songs performed by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Japanese glossary:

Geisha: Geisha is a professional hostess. Do not confuse with a prostitute. Geishas only have sex with a man when she truly likes him. There is many times where samurais, shoguns and nobles fell in love by geishas. They married by honor. So the love was usually found in the arms of a geisha.

Biwa: A kind of Japanese guitar with three strings. A very traditional Japanese instrument.

Oni: Japanese demons

Kanto: Area of the Japan where Tokyo is located.

OMAKES

Kanna asking for be trained.

"OI! MATTE!" a voice calls from Benji making him stops and looks over his shoulders. He sees Kanna running at his direction. "Damn." He thinks seeing Kanna breasts bouncing up and down while she runs. "I need a cold shower now. Or some time with Ayame. What happens first." He adds on his thoughts. "Nani o Kanna?" he asks to the tall red head.

"Hey do you mind in teaching me few of your moves?" Kanna asks stopping in front of him breathing a bit roughly. "I guess that it will be Ayame and a cold shower. That if I manage to convince her." He thinks.

"But why you want to learn them?" Benji asks "I mean your karate is great."

"I know. But you have some moves that I never saw before. And some of them are really cool." The red head says excited. "Cold shower. Ice cold shower." He thinks.

"We can spar. But I am not sure that you will be able to learn some of my moves. Most of then I changed to suit my needs. I tried to teach a friend once and she wasn't able to perform the move. You know men and women have different gravity centers." Benji says to her. "Well I am taking the chances." She exclaims dragging Benji to the training room. Benji smiles happy because Kanna is being friendly. On the way she keeps saying that she will be teaching him her Okinawan karate in exchange for his own style. And Benji is on the training room sited on the mats while Kanna changes to her karate gi. When she returns she sees Benji boots tossed in a corner. He is bare feet stretching.

"Okay Kanna here is what I actually want in exchange for the training in my dark ninja techniques." Benji says and Kanna nods paying attention. "Well as I am sure that you know you are a very attractive woman. I am sure that you can understand that I…" Benji sentence is interrupted by Kanna who kisses him deeply. After long minutes she breaks the kiss. "I know what you want. I am going to like paying you the classes very much." She says removing her kimono top.

"It wasn't that. But I won't complain." Benji thinks. "I was going to ask for setting me a date with Maria but since she is so willing." Benji kisses her enjoying his 'payment.'


	10. A bad day out

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Chapter nine: A bad day out.

Teito December second 1922

Iris is walking by the theater halls with Jean-Paul on her arms. She meets Ayame and the older woman takes Iris to the library where they study. Kanna and Sakura leave the theater to search for Benji. Not willing but ordered Ogami, Maria, Kohran and Sumire also search for the missing ninja. Benji continues on the geisha house having some warm sake.

"Now where he can be?" Kanna asks to herself. "I don't know Kanna-san. I don't know Benji-san that well." Sakura answers in a sad tone. "Hey Sakura I wasn't asking for you. I was just thinking on loud." Kanna says trying to cheer the brunet.

"But I don't understand why he would leave the theater like this." Sakura muses. "If you were mistaken by a rapist, forced to threat to kill someone and hold back your anger how you would feel?" Kanna asks.

"Bad." Sakura says sadly "I think that Benji wants to stay alone for a while. But we can't just let him walk around the city since he doesn't know how to walk around." Kanna says to the brunet swordswoman. Sakura can't help feeling bad about the sudden turn of the relations with her team members. Especially how bad they turned after the sudden joining of the Brazilian ninja. Not that is his fault. But before him everything was just much easier. It is also truth that before the ninja arrival Iris was much closed. And that they were still on the very early stages of reaching out for the little girl. Something that the ninja not even tried but was by far more succeeded than any of them. Just recalling the small event between them in the morning when he returned with Ayame. Iris got scared and reached for Benji who stood there and gave to the little French girl some security by only holding her hand.

What Sakura doesn't know is that is something really natural for a young child to do. And Benji only responded to Iris request out of instinct. That resumes the relation between Benji and Iris. A bunch of well connected acts of instinct. That before Benji began to talk with them after the training. Then he began to talk with Iris and tell her stories. Something that makes the little girl literally glows with delight. Especially since he never seems to be reading from the book that he were supposed to be reading, since once Iris even scolded him for holding the book upside down. But after noticing that the tales are not from the books because the book was actually a how to operate the koubu manual Iris just let it go, realizing that he was only holding the book open to give a image that he is reading it when not.

"Why those two are like that?" Sakura asks after sighing. "Why who are like that, Sakura?" Kanna asks looking at the brunet. "I was thinking of Iris-chan and Benji-san." Sakura explains to the red head. "I don't understand why they act like they act."

Kanna muses for a while over the topic. "I don't know Sakura. I guess that they just do." Kanna says not getting anywhere closer of the answer than before.

"Hey what you two are doing out? I thought that it wasn't your free day." Kanna and Sakura turn to the male voice. A not unfamiliar but also not fully unfamiliar male voice. "Benji!" the duo asks confused seeing the ninja just appear out from the thin air in front of them. "Well last time that I checked I was me." Benji says half teasing. "Now why you two are out?" he adds more serious.

"We came searching for you. You don't know around and you could get lost." Kanna answers. "Thank you for the thought." Benji says lightly embarrassed. "But I am fine. You forgot that I drove my way to reach you guys yesterday?" Benji replies. "Now that you mentioned we did." Sakura spurts. "Well I was going back to the theater now. I got calmer and I also got this nikumans that are really great." Benji says showing to them a paper bag full of breads on his arms. And a half eaten one on his right hand. "Want some?" he offers. "Sure thing!" Kanna says grabbing one herself. Sakura excuses herself and pick one too. They walk to the theater chatting. Sakura is happy to even that late she is trying to spend time with Benji and she is founding that is not as hard or troubled as she thought that would be.

Later in that night

It is past from two in the morning. Everything in the theater is stillness. Taking out a tall figure that leaves a door and wanders around the dark halls holding a large parcel.

Teito December third 1922

The hanagumi girls are in the bathroom. "This water is cold!" Sumire shouts to the others very angry because the water. As the others she is only wrapped in a towel. "You tried to turn on the water?" Kanna says turning on the water. After a couple of minutes nothing happens and the girls dress up and moves to the boiler room. Ogami tags along to help. In the dark room the hanagumi feels bad about the intense heat on the room.

"It is burning down here." Sumire states the obvious with displeasure. "And what the hell is that?" she adds the last part moving to a large pile of black cloth near of the active boiler. "I guess if we only turn that leaver the hot water will move to the tub." Ogami says moving the leaver.

"What was that!" Sumire asks jumping scared from a low groan. "Maybe there is a stray dog here or something." Kanna says moving closer. She let out a shriek when the cloth pile moves. Sumire shrieks and faints when something black leave the pile and holds on her arm. The others back away surprised. The cloth falls to a side and shows Benji in his full combat clothes even the mask sited there. Sumire fainted on her feet.

"It is only Benji." Sakura says hugging Kanna in a bear hug. "I know. So can you let me breathe now Sakura?" Kanna asks trying to open Sakura arms from her waist. Sakura let go blushing. Benji yawns largely under the mask. After Sumire recovers and Benji is more wake the questions begin as soon they reach the dinning hall.

"What you was doing there!" Sumire asks to him. Benji combs his messy and tangled hair with his right hand fingers. "Sleeping." Benji replies before yawning again. "How he could be sleeping all dressed like that covered and masked on that intense heat?" Kohran whispers her question to Maria.

"What happened?" Ayame asks walking inside and seeing the state of Benji. After a quick explanation Ayame nods understanding. "Well Benji is not used to the cold nights around here. And we used to share a room so he is used to warmer rooms. So he moved to the warmer place where he could found to sleep." Ayame says understanding his reasons. "And he slept wearing all that!" Kanna asks not sure of buying that excuse. "I was feeling cold." Benji says pulling down the mask and opening the vest and the outer layers of his armors and clothes. Kanna stares in shock after all that is a lot of fabric.

"I think that you are forgetting that Benji is a man from the tropics. He is not used to the cold of the Japanese winter." Ayame says to them. "But that is not reason to be sleeping like that." Ogami says also shocked with the fact that Benji was sleeping fully dressed in the extremely hot boiler room.

"Go change Benji." Ayame orders the Brazilian who nods and gets up scratching the back of his neck while moving away. "Wait a second. If he never got used to a cold like this, how he is not all excited over snow?" Sumire asks to Ayame. Ayame chuckles "Good question. In Iga he saw the snow by the first time. It was by far an amusing experience." She says recalling.

One month earlier in Iga. (After the first snow.)

"SNOW! SNOW! SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!" Benji cries excited running all over the white garden of the Sanada ninja mansion. "Benji you look like a kid." Ayame says trying to sound annoyed but her voice betray that she is holding back laughers. "SNOW! SNOW!" Benji continue ignoring her comments. "He is just a overgrow kid." Ayame mutters. She busts in laugh when Benji loss his balance when stepping over a snow covered tree roots and fall on his back. A huge pile of snow falls from a branch and hits Benji in the chest. Ayame laughs even harder at the scene. "Hahahahaha! This is so funny Benji-kun……." Her sentence is cutted by a snow ball hitting her in the face. She coughs and looks and sees Benji with a new snow ball on his hands.

"Don't you dare tossing that Benji…" again Benji cut her with the snow. "DIE!" Ayame shouts grabbing a hand full of snow and chasing Benji around tossing crude snow balls at him. Who dodge them and toss balls back at her. A half hour later Ayame is soaked in the middle of a large pile of snow that Benji tossed on her by shaking a tree over her head. "I hate you." She mutters trying to clean herself a bit. Just to receive a new snow ball on the top of her head. Benji is hanging upside down on a tree branch with his arms wide open and with a large childish smile on his face. Ayame tosses some snow up on him and then moves to the castle to take a hot bath and change from her cold and wet clothes.

Present time

"It was amusing indeed." Ayame whispers to herself. "It had been years since I played like that. I felt so young and had so much fun."

"I guess that I should register his snow ball accuracy as a deadly weapon." Ayame adds absent minded.

End of the chapter nine:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile

Japanese glossary

Nikuman: A type of Japanese bread filled with meat and vegetables. Really good. If you can try some go ahead. You won't regret it.


	11. What a way to start a New Year

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Chapter ten: What a way to start a New Year

Teito December thirty first 1922 New Years eve.

In the dinning hall Benji is placing plates and more plates of food over the tables. "Why I am always forced to do the table?" Benji mutters under his breath while placing soba in the table. "Now I know how Donana feels every holiday that we passed. It is annoying."

In the stage the hanagumi is finishing the last act of the last play of the old year. Tsubaki is setting the gifts and bromides to be sold to the wave of guests that will leave the stage after the play. While the hanagumi girls sing in the stage. And after a while the hanagumi moves to the dinning hall and Benji moves to close the theater while they eat the New Year dinner. The dinner goes well and the entire Teigeki plus Benji celebrate the birth of the New Year.

Teito January First 1923

Everyone goes to a shrine to pray for happiness and fortune in the New Year. Dragged by the others Benji follows. Hiding the fact that he is happy in seeing the hanagumi girls in formal kimonos. Unlike Ogami who is also wearing a kimono Benji is wearing his casual clothes and a heavy coat with fur in the inner side. In the shrine they all pray and the girls enjoy the festivities. Specially Iris when she founds how good Benji aims is to toss balls and rings on the stands to win many of the prizes. And how easy is to convince him to play for her with a couple of eye lashes bathing and a cute pout. After half an hour Iris is carrying two large bags full of prizes as dolls and stuffed animals. And she keeps pointing at stands and making Benji win her more prizes. Kanna chuckle seeing how Iris is making Benji win her the prizes. Ogami is feeling jealous about that. But his aim is not as good as Benji's. But unlike Benji, Ogami is gaining full attention from Sumire and the others. And he doesn't have to play games for them. After another half hour Benji actually forbidden to play since he is winning too much. Iris pouts very unhappy about it but doesn't force him to try playing anymore. Benji sighs happy and sits on a bench to rest. Especially his now sore right arm.

"Well at least Iris is happy." Kanna says to Benji. "Yeah. With all that dolls she can play for a long time." Benji replies to the red head. "By the way you got a really good aim." Kanna says in a happy tone.

"I am a ninja Kanna. I am supposed to have good aim like that. It is like using shurikens." Benji replies "I trained a lot so I got really good at it." Kanna nods understanding.

After a while they move again. Now the hanagumi looks around the many people performing on the street.

"Cold…" Benji mutters closing his coat and sliding his gloved hands inside his pockets to keep himself warm. He looks around the festival feeling too cold to actually do anything. He sees the hanagumi members enjoying the fair. He walks unnoticed to a food stand where the air is warmer thanks to the constant food being prepared. He sits in a stall and asks for warm sake. Soon the drink arrives and the tropical country raised ninja sips happily the warm drink feeling the alcohol and the warmth spreading inside his cold body. "This feels much better…" he whispers in one of the few times that drinking alcohol feels good to him. The morning goes fine until a sharp scream cuts the air. Everyone runs away when a large winged demon grabs a little boy and flies away. The hanagumi runs trying to help the child. Benji jumps over a post and scream. "Kanna run for it!"

The red head runs faster and the others members of the hanagumi are confused. Benji moves his arms as he was pulling an arrow in a bow and shouts.

"Rai Bow!" And a large bow and a large arrow of electricity appear on his hands and the arrow of electricity flies cutting the air and hitting the demon square in the back between the wings. The boy falls when the demon turns into dust. Kanna leaps and grabs the boy landing on her feet.

"Got ya." Kanna says to the boy. A woman runs to Kanna and gets the boy thanking the red head. "It is better you two move to a shelter." Kanna says to them. And they obey running away. The others reach the red head. Kanna steal a glance at Benji. The bow disappeared but his arms spark a bit with the still flowing electricity. "There is more coming!" Benji shouts from the post. He jumps down and moves to the hanagumi.

"Go away." He says to them. "How dare you!" Sumire shouts back at him. "Look here Sumire. You and the others are unarmed and with out the koubus." Benji says to her "You really think that you can take those demons empty handed?" Benji asks

"Honestly Sumire I don't think that any of you can." He adds. Sumire fumes in anger. "He is right." Ogami says before Sumire can do anything. "What he wants is for us fall back and get the koubus." The Japanese man adds and Benji nods to them.

"I will buy you guys sometime. Most of the people evacuated already. I will help the remaining ones too. Now go." Benji says taking out his coat. "What weapons you got? I am sure that is nothing that can actually do some damage at them." Sumire asks sneering him. "I don't recall using weapons to take down that one." Benji says pointing to a pile of carbonized demon few meters ahead. Sumire stays quiet. "We will not take long. So don't die." Kanna says to Benji. "Just hurry up." Benji replies. "I don't want all the fame for this." He adds teasing. And they run away. Iris looks back and sees Benji tying his coat by the sleeves around his waist before she turns and continue.

"I don't know if I will actually manage to hold on so long." He thinks looking at his hands. The hanagumi missed the fact that Benji hands are bleeding from dozens of small cuts. And his arms are also covered by the same cuts and few burns. "The Rai Bow is still too instable I need to work on it more. All the capillaries on my hands and some in my arms exploded with the power…" he thinks closing his hands in fists. "I have two more shots with that intensity. And if I use the lightning destruction fist I have three. That if I manage to use it. I still can't charge it properly."

More demons walk inside the shrine. Benji recognize them as the legendary Onis of the Japanese legends. They are armed with large metal clubs, axes and few of them with huge swords. Benji opens his hands and lifts the hem of his vest and pull two tanto daggers. "This won't do much good. But I can't waste energy." He whispers charging at the closer demons. Benji shouts a war cry when slashing the demon on the stomach. The sickening sound of the demon flesh being cutted fills the air among the cry of pain of the demon and the war cry from Benji.

One block away from there

The hanagumi hears the war cry and the cry of pain mixed together. "It begun. We have to hurry." Ogami says increasing his pace and making the hanagumi run faster. "How long you think that he will last?" Maria asks to Ogami. "I don't know. But I don't want to found out." Ogami says "It will give me too much trouble explains to Ayame why he got killed." He adds half joking.

"Come on pall. I am sure that you can make it." Kanna thinks cheering up for Benji.

On the shrine

Benji dodges a metal club leaping back. His vest and shirt are now ripped. On the shrine ground there is large gashes and craters. Near of the stairs there is a fallen Oni and near of the main shrine building there is another one. And there is still ten Onis standing and attacking the ninja. Benji feels trapped facing the much taller enemies with out a proper weapon. The tantos are dented and blunt. Benji charges the demon who just attacked him and runs over the metal club and leaps stabbing the demon eyes with the daggers leaving there nailed deep on the demon skull. The demon roars in pain while Benji hovers over his head for a second before landing a couple of meters behind it. Benji dashes forward barely dodging a sword slash. On the air Benji moves his body barely dodging a club. He hears a scream and sees an Oni breaking his way on the shrine building.

"Rai Bow!" Benji shouts pulling the electric bow hard and firing the arrow at the demon. The Oni roars in pain before falling carbonized on the ground. Benji sleeves carbonize too and some blood jets from his cuts. Benji lands on the ground and he sees on the building few people. The Onis notice that too. Benji reacts faster than the Onis and dashes to the building. He stops in front of the large hole that the demon created and charges another Rai Bow. The Onis stop they charge seeing the large arrow on Benji hands.

"Any of you are hurt!" Benji asks to the people on the shrine. He keeps moving his aim to the Oni that dares to move closer until it sees the arrow aimed at him and steps back. Benji stole a quick glance to the room behind him. He sees four people. Two shrine workers, a priest and a young woman that is wearing a red kimono and she has blonde hair. He also saw quickly that the priest is holding something.

"Try running away from here. I will protect you all. Just run." Benji says to them. The veins and arteries on his arms are bulging with the effort. His muscles are very tense too. "We will try." The priest says. "Go!" Benji shouts when an Oni step back threatened by his arrow. The small group runs by the opening. Benji goes after them keeping the Onis away with his Rai Bow. He stops when the group is moving for the stairs and he is between the group and the Onis.

"Go fast!" Benji shouts at them. The group obeys and the priest and his workers leave first. The girl runs after them but she trips and fall. She let out a cry of pain. Benji dismiss the Rai Bow and runs to her. "Can you run!" He asks holding her right arm and pulling her up.

"I think so…" she replies weakly. "Then run." He says letting her go and giving her a light push to the stairs. She obeys hesitating. The Onis charge at Benji picks the fallen sword of an Oni and with a huge effort swings the massive weapon. He hits two of the demons with the slash. But the weapon is too heavy for the ninja and gives to the Onis an open that they use. Benji barely blocks a massive strike from a club. The sword shatters breaking in the half and Benji flies backwards with the huge impact. Benji flies all the way over the shrine stairs.

"Rai Bow!" Benji shouts shooting his last arrow at a demon that leaped after him. The demon falls on the stairs dead. The recoil of the bow tosses Benji even faster towards the ground. He lands hard on the side walk and let out a cry of pain while he curls up in pain. He gasps for air clutching his chest. Blood pools on the cement coming from a large cut on Benji left should.

"Are you okay?" the blonde girl asks to Benji crouching besides him. She stares in shock seeing how damaged Benji is. His face is covered with trails of blood and his hair is soaked with blood. His arms are also covered in blood and burns until his hands. His chest has few cuts and many bruises.

"Run…" Benji manages to say just above a whisper. Benji opens his eyes and fight to focus them. He sees a shadow and grabs the girl and leaps from that spot. He barely avoided being crushed with the girl by a demon that leaped down. Benji lands a mall distance from the demon and runs with the girl getting some distance between her and the Oni. He looks around and sees the lower half of the demon sword that he used. The blade that was once twice as tall as him is now just few inches longer than him.

"Run." Benji says between deep breaths. "But…" "Go. I can deal with this." Benji says cutting the girl protest. Benji give a gently push on her sending her to the direction where the priest went. The priest and his staff are just few meters away moving a bit down the street. Benji races to the tall sword and grabs it. With effort he rips it out from the new cement sheath.

With a smile he hears the sound of the girl wood sandals on the ground as she runs away. "Hurry up you guys…I don't know how longer I will last…" Benji thinks waiting the attack from the Oni. "I don't have much energy left…"

The demon attacks Benji. The ninja holds the sword horizontally and pulls the blade far behind his back and slashes the demon horizontally. Benji hits the demon on the thighs. He leaps backwards with the huge sword and avoid an axe strike from a new demon.

"God how many more are there?" Benji thinks seeing the demons leaving the shrine. "I killed five of them already…they were fifteen…" Benji looks at the closer demon who roars at him.

"Nine more to go…" Benji whispers to himself. Benji charges with the sword but a demon attacks Benji. He blocks the attack with the sword but the demon is by far stronger than Benji and sends the ninja flying back with the sword and everything. Benji hits a lamp post. With the impact he drops the sword. He slides down falling sited on the curb. Blood flows from Benji nose and he coughs some blood. Benji rolls to his left and dodge an attack from a club that smashes the post. Benji grabs stops facing the demon crouched low.

"Not good…I lost the sword and I am not sure if I can perform another Rai Bow…" Benji thinks leaping avoiding being crushed by a club. "Where are they?" Benji whispers jumping on a post and changing the direction of his flight.

"Fighter-san!" the priest shouts. Benji looks at his direction when landing. He sees a silver glean moving at him. He moves to his side and grab it. He spins over his heels and spins the weapon. The demon roars in pain as his arm falls on the ground. Benji stops his body motions and spins the weapon moving it in a high speed. Then he stops and touches the back of his shoulders with a blade. He is now holding a cross of a sword and a spear with his right hand. The weapon has about one meter and sixty centimeters long. And the blade is over half of it length. It resembles a katana blade. The long black shellac hilt is touching his arm on its length.

"A naginata?" Benji thinks trying to recall the name of the weapon on his hands. "No…the blade is too long and the handle is too short. This is more like a sword for knights…" Benji smiles "Now I can do some serious damage." He thinks.

The silver blade shines with the winter sun. Benji coat moves with the cold wind. For an instant noting moves and the air stays still, until the wounded demon tries to attack Benji. With a fast and strong motion Benji cuts the demon on the hand by the waist. Then the chaos break again and the demons all at once attack the cornered ninja. Benji now with a light weapon made for humans and dodge all the attacks and give few attacks of his own on the demon horde. Not enough to kill or give severe wounds on the demons but enough to make them angry enough to forget any kind of low intelligence that they might have. Giving to the tired and wounded ninja a chance to stay fighting long enough for his back up arrive and save the day.

Half block from there

Kayama is seeing the combat with a pair of binoculars. "I can't believe it. The new guy is still holding up." Kayama says seeing Benji leaping over a sword. "Sir the hanagumi will arrive in three minutes." A soldier says to the masked sailor. "Three minutes…I don't know if he will last that long." Kayama says.

Back in the combat

"Now why are holding them up so much!" Benji thinks slashing a demon on the knee. "AAIIIEEEEEEEEE!" Benji looks at the shriek direction. "Damn it!" He curses seeing an Oni moving to attack the priests and the woman. Benji dashes to them. He reaches the demon and slashes it on the back of the knee making it fall down.

"You guys need to get away." Benji says between deep breaths. "Go to those people down the street they will take you to the safety."

"We can't leave. Those demons will get us." A shrine worker says. "I am protecting you guys. But I can't keep this up for much longer." Benji says in a harsh tone. It is true. He is very tired. Firing three Rai Bows in such short time drained almost all his spirit energy and stamina. "You guys run to them and I will be between you and the demons." Benji says.

The priest nods make the workers run. The woman looks at Benji and then begun to run. Benji keeps a small distance between them and himself. He fends off the Onis keeping them far from the civilians. Benji stop half way to the Tsukigumi and the demons stop too. Nine demons against a single ninja. Two of the demons are with severe wounds. One is blind and the second is missing an arm. The others have small cuts one with a slight serious one on the back of knee slowing it down a bit. Benji is with both of his arms covered with cuts and burns. His chest has few cuts and bruises from the debris moved by the demon attacks. He has few cuts on his head and legs. And in top of it all he is very tired and with out energy. By far it isn't a fair fight. It never was and as long the hanagumi doesn't arrive it will never be. One demon let out a roar and the others follow all swinging the weapons menacing. A roar is used to intimidate an enemy when you are cornered trying to sound more dangerous than you really are. Or is a warning for an enemy that you are up a fight and you are showing your strength and anger. The demons roars can't be told from which group belongs.

Benji raises his sword/spear taking a very deep breath. He lets out a loud, deep, long and menacing roar that came deep from his being. And his roar can be placed for sure on the second class. Benji roar aren't loud as the demons but is by far more intense. The demons seems to hesitate for a second, losing in the show of strength. And then they all charge at the ninja. Benji moves backwards avoiding the massive impact of all the nine weapons on the spot where he was. But he is hitten by the pieces of stones and asphalt that the strikes broke from the road. More cuts and bruises for the ninja. Benji lands and he is partially off balance. He nails his weapon on the ground and regains his balance. He falls tired over his right knee.

"Damn…this isn't good." He thinks. The two remaining demons with the swords charge at him. Benji forces himself up.

"BENJI LEAP UP!" A feminine voice shouts from behind. Benji doesn't hesitate and summons his last strength to leap as high as he can. "SNEGUROCHKA!" on mid air Benji hears this cry and under his an ice made woman flies and slams on the two demons that were charging at him. With a body twist and a sword swing Benji changes his flight landing few meters to the right from where he was.

"TEIKOKU KADEKIDAN HANAGUMI SANJOU!" Benji hears those words with six voices. "What took you so long!" He shouts kneeled to the six different colored koubus. "The traffic was bad!" Kanna replies with a smile that Benji can't see. She knows that he is happy to see them and he is only complaining for the sake of doing so. Kanna red koubu moves to Benji smoothly protecting the ninja from an attack from an Oni.

"Kanna make sure that the Onis don't attack him." Ogami orders. "Ryokai!" the red head replies staying in front of the ninja in a defensive stance. "We will take the others down!" Ogami says and the others girls say in one voice. "Ryokai!" the battle is slight even now. Seven against five is better than nine against one. Benji uses the sword/spear to help himself up. Kanna doesn't see that because he back is in Benji direction and she is facing the enemy. Benji slides the weapon handle on his belt and gets in his basic empty handed combat stance and takes few deep breathes. Electricity slowly gathers around him and enters on his body.

(Um pouco mais. So um pouco mais.) Benji thinks with his eyes closed. The Onis keep pressing the attack trying to reach the ninja. And they are giving the hanagumi some trouble since they are stronger than the wakijis. Sakura faces an Oni that is using a club. Maria shot the Oni and Sakura moves to the next one. A blur pass by them and the Onis turn to face it. They see Benji ten meters behind them. He is with his legs separated and with the sword/spear on his hand held behind his back. Ogami and the others members of the hanagumi use the just acquired opening to attack the Onis. The demons barely dodged the attack and get severe wounds. But they ignore it and charge at the ninja. Benji run from them. Ogami soon realize what he is doing and give chase at them with the others. The Onis are following Benji giving the back to the hanagumi. Soon the fight ends. Benji stops and take deep breathes.

"Now what the hell you were trying to do?" Maria asks to him after leaving her koubu. "Helping up. I noticed have a while that they where after me. So I distracted them so you guys could have easier kills." Benji says between deep breaths and leaning on a post. "We could have taken care of them with out that plan." Maria says. "We could. But we took care of them with his plan." Ogami says not happy for saying those words. "It was easier this way after all."

"Oi Benji you look really bad. You need a doctor." Kanna says seeing the state of the ninja. "I know." He replies before losing his balance and falling. Kanna hold him. "Whoa you are really messed up!" she says worried. "Come on I help you to walk until we found a place to lie you down."

"Thanks. But I need to do something first." Benji says holding on the front of Kanna uniform and pulling himself up. Kanna doesn't flinch with the action. Benji let her go and walks toward the tsukigumi. The hanagumi follow him Kanna stays close to pick him up before he falls again. She is sure that he will fall. Well the fact that he is staggering a bit doesn't help her to be sure that he can walk by himself. But she doesn't hold him since he is trying to move by himself. Benji covers the one hundred meters of distance between where they where and the tsukigumi on a reasonably straight line. He found the small group that he led to them and moves to the priest.

"Thank you for allowing me to use your shrine holy treasure in combat." Benji says in a respectful tone. He rips the remains of his shirt and cleans the blade and the handle and hands the weapon for the priest.

"I am the one thankful. I only lend to you a way to protect us and yourself." The priest replies picking up the weapon and sheathing the blade. Benji gives a polite and respectful bow to the priest and he turns back to the hanagumi.

"Now I am ready." He says walking to them with a small and tired smile. Kanna notices the cross necklace on his neck, as well a tressed choker like collar on his neck. The collar is made of thin threads of black silk and black leather and it is wrapped in a comfortable tightness on the lower part of his neck. "That it is odd." She thinks seeing the collar.

"Benji-san you are okay?" Sakura ask the stupidest question possible to Benji. "Yeah. I am okay Sakura." Benji replies. But unlike his words tell Benji lost his balance and Kanna grabs him in a partial hug.

"Oi Benji…" she says before she notices that he is unconscious. Kanna can feels his chest movements while he breaths. His left arm is over Kanna right shoulder and his right hand is pending loosely. Kanna arms are wrapped not too tight around his chest preventing him from falling down. Kayama masked moves to her. "We will take him to a hospital. You guys should return to the base." He says in a calm tone. Two members of the tsukigumi arrive with a stretcher. Kanna places Benji there and they move him away. "I will inform the location of the hospital to General Yoneda. I am sure that when he will inform you." He says before saluting them and moving away with his troops. The hanagumi moves away too.

In somewhere else

It is a dark room. The only source of light is a strange looking pool of a dark liquid in what it seems to be the middle of the room. Barely lithe is a throne made out of mixed bones and skulls from demons and humans. On the throne partially covered by darkness there is what seen to be a man sited there. He is holding a clear crystal cup that holds a thick dark red liquid that is for sure blood. It can be see a long black leather coat partially covering the throne. Taking out his hands the other part of him that can be seen is his legs. His pants seen to be made of silk and his black boots shine in the minimal light. By his feet there is a very attractive woman wearing a long black dress that seen to be also made of silk. It has a low V-neck and it have a cut on the side of her legs showing them. She is wearing high heels black leather boots that also shine in the poor light. She is half sited on the floor half leaning on the man legs with her head resting on the man knees. Her skin is unnaturally white making an extreme contrast with her black hair and clothes. She has a leather collar around her neck connected to a chain that vanishes on the darkness. The man free hand is softly petting the woman hair.

"Interesting. Tokyo defenders seems to be reasonably strong." He says with a deep and cold voice. "Master those minions where unable to steal and destroy the Oni Kessen En Satsu." A robed figure says. The figure is standing besides the pool.

"That is not important. That sword isn't something troublesome. Besides for this spectacle that sword is just a small price. And sooner or later it will be destroyed." The man in the darkness replies. "Right now I am more interested in those defenders find everything about them." He adds.

"Yes my master." The robed figure says before vanishing. "Soon. Very soon." The man in the darkness whispers careless petting the woman while the light dims.

In the hanagumi secret hospital

Ayame, Yoneda, Kanna, Iris and Ogami walk in the waiting room near of the surgery room where Benji is being treated. They all stop but Ayame she walks to the door and knock there. A nurse came out and Ayame whispers something to her. She nods and walk inside the room again. Ayame sees the nurse whispering to the doctor in charge of the treatment. He nods and the nurse leaves. Soon she returns with two large syringes filled with a semi transparent liquid. But they are from different colors. She inserts one of the syringes needles on Benji IV line and press the bottom of it sending the liquid into his blood stream. She repeats the process with the second one. The doctor continues to remove small debris from Benji wounds as another one cleans his burns and cuts on the arms. Ayame turn to the others.  
"He will be fine. He is just with light wounds considering the fight." Ayame says to them. "He just ran out of spirit energy and he fainted because it." "Can Iris heal him? Iris is sure that she can do it." The French girl says. "I am sure of that Iris. But the doctors need to remove the dirty and foreign bodies from Benji wounds before we can let you heal him as best as you can." Ayame says to the little girl who nods understanding.

"But how his arms got so badly hurt? Those Onis didn't have any weapon that could give that kind of damage." Ogami asks to Ayame. "You all said that Benji used a technique called Rai Bow right?" Ayame asks to the three hanagumi member. They nod confirming. "Well Benji-kun is still unable to control his spirit energy properly. He can barely use his techniques. And when he does he gets massive collateral damages each time that he uses them. Those burns and cuts are results of his lack of control of his energy." Ayame says explaining to them. "He ends putting too much energy on his attacks and the large amounts of energy give him that damage. I saw that too when he was training."

"You mean that he did that to himself?" Kanna asks surprised. "In a way yes. But that wasn't meant to happen. Think that is like when the koubus reacted to Sakura spirit energy and they destroyed themselves. It is more or less the same thing." Ayame replies.

"Lack of control." Ogami says while the new information sinks in. Ayame nods. "That can be corrected with time." Yoneda says to the young officer. "But how he managed to use his energy like that?" Kanna asks. "Well it is like Maria uses her Snegurochka. But Benji-kun does that with out a koubu help." Ayame answers. Kanna absorb the information. One doctor comes out to speak to them. He is quite young.

"Excuse me. I was asked to give a preliminary report to the commanders." He says in a soft voice. "Go on." Yoneda says. The doctor nods. "Well most of his wounds weren't serious. He got some bad bruising and few nasty cuts on his thorax. But his arm wounds was slight severe. The burns are from second degree. Oddly they are very thin lines forming a pattern. The cuts are shallow. But many and few of them where deep. Nothing that will give any permanent damage on him or make him unable to use his arms." The doctor says to them in a clinical way. "But after he recovers his conscious he should not use his arms for a certain period of time until all the wounds heals properly. That can take two weeks to one month."

The hanagumi members listen to the report with mixed feelings. "We believe that in two or three days he will be able to leave the hospital. That if can receive help while his arms heal. He must use them as less as possible." The doctor adds.

"We understand. Can you warn us when the procedures are finished?" Yoneda asks. "Sure. Excuse me but I need to return." The doctor says before entering on the room again. "Well that will delay the things a bit more." Yoneda says with a sigh. "But I think that is acceptable considering what happened." Ayame nods agreeing.

End of the chapter ten:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I own the man in the dark, the robbed figure and the chained woman. As well Benji and Peçonha. Those are my original characters. Even thought the man in the dark is a small homage to a friend. I won't reveal his name for a while. But I have his permission for the man in the dark.

Japanese glossary

Oni: It means a kind of demon. Legendary Japanese demons. They are usually draw with the colors red, blue, green and many others. They have small horns. They are basically humanoids and giants. It is usually show that an Oni is at least two to three times bigger than a man.

Oni Kessen En Satsu: It means roughly translated "Destiny of killing a demon on a decisive battle." Note this is a fictitious sword that I created. Thought this sword is based on a real Japanese sword.

Kessen: It can mean decisive battle. It has few more meanings. But I am placing the one that I used.

En: It can mean destiny. It has few more meanings. But I am placing the one that I used.

Satsu: It can mean kill. It has few more meanings. But I am placing the one that I used.

Portuguese glossary:

Um pouco mais. So um pouco mais. : Literally in Portuguese "A bit more. Just a bit more." The word 'so' has an accent and is written like this 'só'. It was left unaccented on the story because the page might not have support for it.

Só: It can mean just or only. It has few more meanings but those two are the main ones.

Donana: It is a nickname to my grandmother that is called Ana. Our family calls her of Donana joking. It is taken of Dona and Ana.

Dona: It can means owner or Ma'am. The one used on Donana is Ma'am.

Errei porra: It means roughly translated 'fuck I missed'.

Attack name note:

Rai Bow: This name is a small change of the Portuguese way of calling lightning. Raio is the Portuguese word for lightning. And Rai is a Japanese way of calling lightning. Or lightning related things. I am sure that you guys heard about Raiden of the game Mortal Kombat. That is an example. So Rai is a small fused and corrupted word for lightning. And bow is from bow. There isn't need for explanation to that. But I will say it to make sure. The Rai Bow attack was created by me on a RPG game that I was playing with few friends.

OMAKES:

Kanna run for it:

"Kanna run for it!" Benji shouts to the red head. She obeys. Benji tosses at her a large bag filled with breads. "Thank you Benji!" the red head screams grabbing the bag and taking a break and biting it. Sadly the child is forgotten and it will turn demon food.

Rai Bow:

"Rai Bow!" Benji shouts releasing the arrow aiming at the flying demon. But Benji aim with a bow sucks and he hits the kid instead. "Errei porra!" Benji shouts in anger seeing the demon fall dazed with the shock but the kid is dead. "You suck!" Maria and Ogami shouts at Benji at the same time. "Gomen." Benji says.

Benji getting the weapon:

"Fighter-san!" the priest shouts. Benji looks at his direction when landing. He sees a silver glean moving at him. Too tired and surprised to react properly Benji reaction is too slow. And the sword nails itself on his chest piercing his heart and killing the ninja. "Damn I missed." The priest curses. But the demons charge at them aiming the girl to rape as they always did on the past. And eat the priest. Benji lie on a pool of his own blood cursing priests with his last breath.

Kayama watching the battle:

"Sir you would like more popcorn?" A tsukigumi soldier asks offering to Kayama a fresh large bucket of popcorn. "Sure. This is so much better than movies." The sailor says picking the bucket. "Bring some soda too." He adds and the soldier nods saluting the officer. "Ogami would die to see something this exciting." Kayama whispers between mouthfuls of popcorn.

Why the hanagumi too so long:

"You are lost." Kanna says at Ogami that is leading the group on unfamiliar street. "I am not lost! I know exactly where we are." Ogami replies angry. "You said that four minutes ago!" the red head replies. "WE are just taking a LONG way." Ogami says harshly. "He is lost." Maria whispers to Sakura who nods agreeing.

Why the hanagumi too so long (Take two: The revenge.):

"You want some tea Ogami?" Yuri asks to the running officer. "Sure. It is not like we have anything important to do." Ogami replies. The others taking out Kanna and Sakura nod. "We should help Benji to fight." Kanna says. "He can hold for a while. After all he is Ayame pet." Ogami replies and Maria nods backing him up. "Wasn't him who took a ninja mansion by assault?" Maria asks sneering Benji. "You guys are hopeless." Kanna says moving to the koubu.

Why the hanagumi took too so long (Take three: The revenge of the sequel.):

The hanagumi is on the Gouraigo. "The damn thing isn't starting!" Tsubaki shouts pressing a button with fury. "Keep trying!" Ayame says. "Why you haven't repaired the ignition yet Kohran!" Kanna asks. "I was too busy building a new kishi to defeat Benji and please Ayame-han in the bed!" Kohran says "There wasn't enough time or money to do so!"

Ayame blushes madly. "YOU will PAY for this Kohran." She says menacing.

Unbalanced Benji getting up:

Benji trips and Kanna holds him. "Thanks. But I need to do something first." Benji says holding on the front of Kanna uniform and pulling himself up. "You look pretty bad pall." Kanna says. "You need to go to a hospital."

"Okay thanks. But I have to do something first." Benji grabs Kanna. His intention was holding on her jacket and pulls himself up. But he missed and grabbed Kanna left breast. "AH!" Kanna let out a tiny moan of pleasure blushing madly. "Uh…sorry." Benji says releasing her. "Keep doing that." Kanna says to him pressing his hand against her breast. "Do it harder." She adds. "Can we save it for later?" Benji asks "Like when I recover the feeling on my hands?"

Kanna seems thoughtful. "No." she replies. "I like this."


	12. Down to business

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

Chapter eleven: Down to business

Teito January second 1923

Benji wakes in a hospital bed with his arms covered with bandages. Kanna and Iris are sited on two chairs near of his bed. "Hey you are finally up." Kanna says in a cheerful tone. Benji makes himself seat on the bed. "Hey don't push yourself." Kanna says "I can sit up Kanna." Benji replies with a hoarse voice. "Here have some water." The red head says moving to him with a cup with a straw. Benji drink from the straw. Benji leans to on the bed rest. "You gave us a good scare you know. Fainting like that." Kanna says putting the now empty glass away. "Yeah. You made Iris very worried." Iris says.

"Sorry." Benji says to them. "It is ok. But try not going that far again. Iris here couldn't heal you fully you know." Kanna says pointing to Iris and to his arms. "You won't be able to use them for about one week."

"Damn that will delay things." Benji mutters. "That was Ayame exact response." Kanna thinks. They chat for while.

In Yoneda office

"Resuming Benji is out of combat for one week." Ayame says to Yoneda. The old man sighs. "Not good. We need all help that we can get. I am not sure if Ogami and the girls have what it takes to fight someone like that Peçonha woman." Yoneda says. "And the reform of one of the old prototypes to be used as Benji's koubu is also taking longer than the expected. Iris is refusing to enter in a koubu. Even though Ogami convinced her once she now is even more resolved to not enter on one." Ayame says.

"Things aren't looking good like that. Two of our members aren't fighting. One for overdoing and the other for refusing. That not counting the fact that the hanagumi is divided in those who like Benji and those who dislike him. I thought that things would be easier." Yoneda complains. "That we both knew that would take time. Ogami sees Benji as a threat to his command. Maria dislikes him because he injured her pride. Kohran is angry because the kishi. And Sumire sees him as inferior because he is not a pure Japanese man. Sakura is beginning to like Benji. Kanna and Iris already like him as a friend and Kanna sees him a reliable companion." Ayame says explaining the hanagumi feelings to the commander.

Yoneda sighs again before sipping some sake. "The kazegumi is still suspicious over him. That is natural. But we need to make the hanagumi a team again." Yoneda says. Ayame nods agreeing.

Teito January third 1923

Benji returns to the theater with Ayame. He is with his usual outfit. Blue pants, a white button shirt, a blue vest, black shoes and a coat over it all to warm him up. Benji hands are covered by bandages. Covered by the clothes his arms are also fully bandaged. "Damn I am tired." Benji mutters. "I don't know why. You were on the bed until a half hour ago." Ayame says opening the door to him.

"I am just tired." He says not sounding as energetic as usual. He enters in the theater with Ayame close of him. "Well it seems that his body hasn't regained all the energy that it lost on the battle." Ayame thinks looking at his back. "Now it will be an interesting period."

Benji stops in front of his room and Ayame opens the door for him. He tosses himself on his bed. Ayame moves to his chair and sit down.

She has offered to aid Benji during his period of healing. So she will be doing most of the things that he would do with his hands for him. She picks a book that she left there earlier and opens it.

"Oi Ayame." Benji says looking to the ceiling. "What Benji-kun?" she answers. "Mind in typing the play?" Benji asks to her. "You said that you wanted it as soon is possible."

"No problem. Just tell me what to write." She replies with a smile. She closes the book and turns on the computer and open the play script. "I am ready Benji-kun." She says. "Ok. Here it goes." He replies.

"Shimaru says to a villager…."

Teito January sixth 1923

The entire hanagumi is gathered on the dinning hall. "Well since everyone is here is time for us to go." Yoneda says to them. "Why we all have to go if what are going to happen are you seeing why Benji koubu is taking so long to get ready?" Sumire asks to Yoneda. "Well I am sure that a change of scenery would be good for everyone." Yoneda replies. Sumire snorts unhappy. Actually just an act. She is eager to go after all she might see her father if they go to the Kanzaki heavy industries after all.

Benji isn't exactly eager to go there. And he is not acting. His arms are only half healed and hurt and itch like hell. As more interesting as a trip to a heavy military production company as the Kanzaki industries might sound he is not interested. All that he wants is take out the damn bandages and scratch his arms. Sadly Ayame is watching him closely with a pair or mittens with locks in case of him trying to scratch his wounds.

Iris is close of Benji and Ayame with a small smile. She got very used to the always together duo.

After few more protests they finally leave. Benji rests his chin over his right hand palm. It doesn't hurt so much. He looks out the window of the car where himself and half of the hanagumi is. The other half is in another car.

One hour later

They finally arrive in the Kanzaki heavy industries. They leave the cars. Benji stretch to Ayame displeasure. She scolds him while an elderly man that Benji recognizes as Kanzaki Shigeki walks to them. He greets them warmly, not sparing a couple of minutes to compliment Sumire and as every grandfather tell that she grew in such wonderful woman.

"Yoneda-kun, have been a while." Shigeki says to Yoneda. "It has. Since the koubus where concluded." Yoneda replies.

"About the koubu. The prototype is taking longer due the bad state that the machine was." Shigeki explains to Yoneda. "We are in the middle of the changes of the wiring and the pistons."

"I see. It was that bad?" Yoneda asks. "Worse. A koubu is a delicate piece of machinery. When left alone with out constant repairs many of the more sensitive parts begun to deteriorate." Shigeki says. Kohran nods agreeing with him. "Now we don't need to discuss this matter here. Let's go to the meeting room, I asked to a small tea to be prepared and we have few snacks there too. And it will be more comfortable than speaking standing." Shigeki says and Yoneda agrees. They move to the meeting room.

"So that is the so called new member. Quite tall." Shigeki says measuring Benji up. "Is him strong?"

"Very strong." Kanna replies defending her friend and sparring partner. "He fought fifteen Onis all by himself almost unarmed for half hour." Iris and Ayame nod backing the Okinawan up. Benji covers a blush with his right hand trying to not seem as embarrassed as he is.

"And he killed five of them before we came to help. And then he helped us to win by distracting the Onis." Kanna adds. Benji feels like smacking the red head on the head. But she is only trying to make him sound like a good warrior.

"And he got severe wounds because of that." Sumire says sneering Benji. "He doesn't have any control over his spiritual energy. And that is the least that is expected from a member of the hanagumi."

"Fine Dondoca. Next time of trouble I will let you fight by yourself. With luck it will be a demon with tentacles. And I will be close to watch you 'fighting' it." Benji says in a cold voice. Sumire stops for a moment trying to figure out what he meant by that. "Hey! I am not sure of what you mean by letting me fight a tentacle demon! But I don't like it!" Sumire shouts at him.

"I figured that you would understand. After all you are only a spoiled little girl, who doesn't know the facts of the life." Benji says in a calm provocative tone. "You bastard." Sumire mutters. Kanna smiles at that. She can recall very well a certain moment before Benji departure for Iga that made she laugh so much that she cried and had cramps on her side.

Teito August twenty third 1922

Kanna and Sumire are shouting at each other late in the night. They are in front of Benji room. And as usual Sumire began the argument. "Ape!" Sumire shouts. "Snake!" Kanna shouts back. The others watch the fight not sure of how stop it. Then the door of Benji room is open. The ninja is only wearing a pair of loose gray pants. The hanagumi stare for a moment. Taking out Kanna and Sumire who are too busy to notice. Benji takes a deep breath and then shouts at the top of his lungs.

"URUSAI OSABUTE ONNA!" The fight stops as soon he finishes the shout. The entire hanagumi stares at the ninja. (Fuck I am tired and I want to sleep.) Benji mutters before entering on his room and closing the door. Sumire stares in shock to Benji room where the ninja vanished. Kanna looks at the door and then at Sumire shocked face and recall Benji words before busting in laughter holding her sides. She falls on the floor crying hard because of the laughter. And Kanna is shouting.

"Osabute Onna! Osabute Onna!" Sakura cover her mouth with her hands to hide her smile. And she runs away before she also begins to laugh too. Then Sumire recovers and fumes in anger and curses Benji.

Present time

Kanna chuckles recalling of the event. She also doesn't have any idea of what Benji meant on letting Sumire fighting a demon with tentacles alone. But she is sure that won't be something that Sumire will like. Then the understanding fills Kanna mind. And she bursts in laughter picturing the scene. The argument between Benji and Sumire ends there. Sumire is confused with the sudden burst of laughter from Kanna. Benji can tell that she figured out what he meant by his comment. Kanna walks to him and passes one arm over his shoulders in a very friendly manner.

"Really funny! God Benji how you thought in that!" Kanna asks between laughs. "How you think that I beaten Setsuna when I faced him soon after I joined you guys?" Benji asks not answering Kanna. "Oh my God!" Kanna says laughing even harder. She loses the strength on her legs and she only not fall because Benji is holding her. His arms are holding her strongly by her slim waist.

"You didn't!" Kanna asks recovering a bit. "Yes I did." He replies and Kanna laughs more. "You are Evil!" she manages to say. No one else understands why Kanna is laughing so hard. And why Benji have a naughty and slightly evil smile on his lips. Few minutes later they do arrive in the meeting room. Kanna is still chuckling.

"Evil minded-niichan indeed. Bad Benji." Kanna says teasing. "Yeah, yeah I have a very polluted mind." Benji says in the same tone. Sumire is not sure of what they are talking about but doesn't like it. Ayame is with a small smile seeing the tall duo getting along fine. Then they sit on the chairs and the tea is served.

"Well to begin with this let me say what is wrong with that boy koubu." Shigeki says not recalling Benji's name. "The armor itself is perfect. But some of the internal equipments were damaged with the storage. Since it was the same koubu that was developed with Sumire aid some of the pistons and gears where very damaged. Some beyond repair." He explains to the entire hanagumi.

"The steam chamber was also outdated so we needed to change it. Also because it was eaten by rust. The spirit crystal engine needed to be repaired and upgraded with the changes that Kohran made in the others. Resuming we are rebuilding the interior almost from the scratch." Shigeki says ending the explanation about the koubu.

"But why not made a new koubu?" Benji asks not sure of the why he will be using the test koubu that Sumire used. "That would take even longer to build. Six months to one year. It is faster repair the prototype. Don't worry he will be as good as a new one when the repairs are over." Shigeki says. "We just need two more weeks to finish the rewiring and the installation of the upgraded engine. Then you will be able to use it."

Shigeki sips some tea. "And the others items that I requested? Are they ready?" Ayame asks. "Sorry. I forgot about them." Shigeki says moving to a telephone. He says something after dialing and move back to the table. "They are bringing them." He says to Ayame. After a couple of minutes a young woman arrives pushing a small cart. She places the cart besides Shigeki and excuses herself and leave.

"Now these are the brand new pieces of weaponry based on the requests of that boy." Shigeki says. "My name is Himura Benji." Benji says a bit tired to be called of boy. "I see. I apologize for not recalling it." Shigeki says. Benji nods accepting the apology. "As I was saying. Using as models the pieces of weaponry and armors that you gave to us we have been able to create new pieces. And the firearms are the requested. First this one." Shigeki says picking a medium sized wood box on the cart and passing to Benji. The ninja opens it and sees a pistol there.

"That is the MF-1HD Guardian." Shigeki says to Benji who takes the pistol from the case. The pistol barrel is large. Four inches from the bottom to the top, ten inches long and one inch wide. The gun is pitched black and sturdy looking. "The MF-1HD fires ten millimeters bullets. The magazine has capacity for seventeen bullets. Eighteen if you carry a combat load. The accuracy of it is deadly. The design is to minimize the recoil. It has two firing modes. Single shot or three bullets rapid fire." Shigeki says to Benji. The ninja already figured the magazine ejecting leaver and eject the empty magazine. Benji pulls back the slide locking it and put the magazine back magazine and release the slide leaving the gun ready and cocked.

Shigeki smiles seeing the ninja handling his company creation. "Smooth motions." Benji says. "We took care of most of the sliding parts to make the movement as smooth as possible to minimize the part damage by constant use." Shigeki explains. "It lacks the power of the 45 caliber revolver but it is by far faster." He adds. Benji puts the pistol back on the case. "We also repaired the shotgun and the Winchester rifle." Shigeki says showing the two guns in the holsters in the cart. Maria notices three different bullet belts with three different colored shotgun shells.

"Now this is the important part." Shigeki says picking a large wood box. "Based on those gauntlets that Ayame brought we created these new models."

"It is tekkos." Benji says. "Well there were too many changes to be called as tekkos. But we also kept the shukos on the new models. Also the climbing wire and the cutting wire. And we add a pair of new features that we believe that you will like" Shigeki says giving the box to Benji. The ninja opens it. The hanagumi try to peek inside the box. Benji picks two gauntlets inside the box. The back of the left one is thicker and slight broader than the right one. The original design of the tekkos was kept the same. Benji notices on the right one a small circular lower area.

"Why this part is lower than the rest?" Benji asks showing it to Shigeki. "You found one of the new features." Shigeki says sounding slight excited. "On the palm blade there is a small trigger that opens that small hatch and fires a very strong steel bolt from it. It has ten meters range. And within that range can pierce light armors. There are ten bolts loaded on it. It is the max load."

Benji puts on the tekko and aim to the metal cart, he press the trigger and a silver trail leaves the small hatch in a amazing speed and nails itself on the cart. "Neat." Benji says. "No recoil, fully silence. I like it." Benji has a smile on his lips. Shigeki has one too. "I thought so. There is also a full auto mode. You have to select by changing a small leaver on the inner part of the wrist." Shigeki says and Benji nods founding the leaver. "What fires the bolts?" Benji asks. "A powerful set of small coils. It is too complex to explain how it works." Shigeki says and Benji nods again.

"On the left have two climbing cables. One that is fired from the inner part of the wrist and the other is fired from the fore arm. Ten meters long cables each. On the right there is only one cable on the inner part. Also ten meters long cable." Shigeki says explaining to the ninja how to use a boosted version of his old toys.

"Where is the cutting wire?" Benji asks recalling how he finished the kishi. "Right here." Shigeki says taking his hand and pulling from an almost unseen stop on the inner side of the wrist the thin razor sharp wire. "As the older one this one has an automatic reeling system. But this one is far stronger."

"One thing. The climbing wires now have the same system. And they can pull up three hundred kilos. Or four people of average weight." Shigeki adds. Benji eyes are almost glowing with excitement. "The wires can be fired and a small hook is released. It can pierce anything. And we pulled back it will close again to be stored."

"Nice feature." Benji says. "Well we worked very hard on those." Shigeki says. "Honestly it is the latest pride and joy of the engineering staff."

"Speaking of staffs. If I am not wrong it was also send to here a metal staff that could be dismantled. It was also a spear." Benji says. "That is right. Sadly we hadn't time to work on it yet." Shigeki says. "I see. Well I guess that it is ok." Benji replies. "Now Benji put those back on the box. Your arms aren't good enough to you use them." Ayame says to him. Benji obeys unwilling. Shigeki hands to Benji a leather bag filled with his new weapons and ammo for the firearms. Benji put the bag besides him.

"This bag seems like the one of that guy in the Mummy movie." Benji thinks recalling when Shigeki unrolled the bag to store the weapons there. He also saw a large numbers of kunais and shurikens there. After he placed them there he wrapped it again forming a tight bag.

"Now that we dealt with the subjects of the weapons and koubu you are up to the tour?" Shigeki asks to the hanagumi. Most the girls especially Kohran nods. "What about the mails that I asked?" Benji asks in a whisper to Ayame. "They are made in another plant of the Kanzaki industries. And I got the word that they are almost ready." Ayame replies to Benji. And they move away. Ayame complained when Benji picked up the weapon bag. But the ninja just putted the shoulder over his shoulders and across his chest and she decided to drop the subject.

"Now this is where the koubus where first developed." Shigeki says taking them to the test room where the tests for the koubus were made. They look around. Benji recognize the room from the first OVA of Sakura Taisen. They move to another room. "Now this is where we repair the koubus. And where we are currently repairing Himura koubu." Shigeki says. And they see an unpainted koubu dismantled on the middle of the room with many technicians working on it. Benji takes a look for the first time on his koubu. Kohran looks at it with interest since after all that was the first operational koubu. She can't help in feeling that it is being wasted being given to the ninja. Sumire feels a bit jealous about the fact that her first koubu is being given to Benji. They move to others rooms with Shigeki explaining everything to the hanagumi. After the visit that took half of the day. Benji notices that Sumire is feeling down. And he knows why. During the entire tour they haven't saw Sumire father. And Benji is aware that she likes him a lot and he almost never expends time with her. During the way back Benji notices that Sumire is hiding the fact to everyone. Benji plans something to try cheering her. But there isn't much that he can do. Sumire hates his guts because he is a half-breed. Oddly she hangs fine with Maria. But Benji knows that she telling him that she hates him for his blood it is just am excuse to say that she doesn't like him.

After the trip back the hanagumi arrives. The girls go change and rehearse. Benji drops his things on his room.

Later in that day night

Sumire enters on her room after taking a long bath. She sighs unhappy. She is feeling stressed and she took off some of her steam on Benji who was passing by the hall when she walked to her room. But it wasn't enough since he haven't argued back to her. She decided to sleep and forget the poor day that she had. She moves to her closet and pulls her night gown. On the mirror she notices a large vase filled with flowers on her dresser. She moves to her dresser. The vase is filled with large violets beautifully arranged in the stunning worked vase. The violets colors blending nicely against the other. Purple, white, pink, dark pink, all the colors possible where there.

"How this got in here?" she asks to herself. She notices a card over the flowers. She opens the card carefully and reads it on loud to herself.

"Don't feel so sad about things that you can't change. Shine with on your own and then you will see how people look at you. Keep a true smile on your lips and a shine of happiness on your eyes that you will gain everything. And attract everyone. Signed: A fan."

Sumire smiles at the card. She is aware of how pricy the flowers are in the winter. And she is sure of who send it. "Otou-sama." She whispers with a hint of tears on her eyes. She doesn't notices a dark figure on the window looking at her. She breaths the sweet scent of the flowers before leaving the room to pick up water to the flowers. The figure is hanging upside down the window hanging by a thin wire. With a smooth motion it turns and moves to the roof. The moonlight shows who the person is. Benji sighs with the effort on his still wounded arm rubbing it softly.

"That is better." He says as the wire is reeling on the tekko. "You know that it is a crime to peek on others windows?" a male voice says to the ninja. "I was only making sure that she would get those flowers." Benji replies. Kayama steps out from the shadows of the attic and face the taller Brazilian ninja. "Since you weren't doing anything wrong I won't tell to anyone about your small trick on Sumire." Kayama says.

"What trick?" Benji replies. "I haven't tricked Sumire." "Come on you make her think that her father send those flowers." Kayama replies. "No. She came on that conclusion herself. I signed as a fan. I haven't said anything about being her father or any relative of hers who send them. It is not my fault if she thought of that." Benji replies to Kayama.

"Whatever. Since it was a good deed I can overlook it. Just go rest. Your arms aren't all that good yet." Kayama says to him. Benji nods and begin to walk to the attic. "You aren't as bad as I thought as you was." Kayama says. "I am glad that I was wrong."

"I am sure that I am as bad as you might have thought. I just couldn't let Sumire cry herself to sleep because she didn't saw her father on the factory. We just went there because of me. So it is my fault that she was sad." Benji replies.

"Still you are nice enough to set up this." Kayama says. "Just don't bet that I am that nice ocean boy." Benji replies entering on the theater. "How he know that I love the ocean?" Kayama wonders moving away too. Benji moves down the stairs of the attic covered by the darkness of the unused room. "What's up hitomi wo kawashite nazomeita kaze ni mi wo yudane you. Get up mirai wo mitsumete yokubarina ai to yume wo kanae you…" Benji sings in the dark while moving to his room.

End of the chapter eleven:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I own the man in the dark, the robbed figure and the chained woman. As well Benji and Peçonha. Those are my original characters. Even thought the man in the dark is a small homage to a friend. I won't reveal his name for a while. But I have his permission for the man in the dark. The MF-1HD Guardian pistol it is a fictitious gun that I created and it belongs to me.

Japanese glossary:

Otou-sama: It means father.

What's up hitomi wo kawashite nazomeita kaze ni mi wo yudane you. Get up mirai wo mitsumete yokubarina ai to yume wo kanae you: This is the first part of the opening theme of Bakuretsu hunters also know as Sorcerers hunters. And it means What's Up Avert your eyes from the puzzling wind so you can trust someone

Get Up Look to the future to let greedy love and dreams come true

Urusai osabute onna: Literally means "Shut up cactus woman" I am not sure if it spells this was the osabute part but it is ok.

Urusai: I t can mean loud, shut up and few more things.

Osabute: It means cactus.

Onna: It is means woman.

Portuguese glossary:

Dondoca: I am not sure if this word has a comparative one in English. In Portuguese it means a spoiled girl from a rich family. It is an insult used only for girls and women. So whenever Benji calls Sumire of Dondoca he is insulting her.

OMAKES:

Benji returning to the theater:

Benji returns to the theater with Ayame. He is with his usual outfit. Blue pants, a white button shirt, a blue vest, black shoes and a coat over it all to warm him up. Benji hands are covered by bandages. Covered by the clothes his arms are also fully bandaged. "Damn I am tired." Benji mutters. "I don't know why. You were on the bed until a half hour ago." Ayame says opening the door to him.

"Well that is true. But it didn't get any rest. Those nurses didn't leave me alone. One after the other for days…" Benji says. "And then Kanna came visit. Not that I minded the fruit basket. But she had to serve it over her naked body and then…"

Ayame looks at the tired looking man. "Now how you could just bang them like that?" She says clearly jealous. "I was on a bed and unable to use my arms. Isn't like I had a choice on the matter." Benji replies. And Ayame ignores him and keeps scolding the ninja.

Benji and Sumire argue with tentacles:

"And he got severe wounds because of that." Sumire says sneering Benji. "He doesn't have any control over his spiritual energy. And that is the least that is expected from a member of the hanagumi."

"Fine Dondoca. Next time of trouble I will let you fight by yourself. With luck it will be a demon with tentacles. And I will be close to watch you 'fighting' it." Benji says in a cold voice. Sumire stops for a moment trying to figure out what he meant by that. "Hey! I am not sure of what you mean by letting me fight a tentacle demon! But I don't like it!" Sumire shouts at him.

Then the understanding hits the Kanzaki heiress. "Mmmmm….now that sounded so naughty…." Sumire voice is dripping with raw sexiness and her face shows some lust and desire. "All those phallic tentacles all for me…probing and squeezing me everywhere…"

Sumire begins to droll.

"Slut." Benji and Kanna say as one. "Now where I can found a demon with tentacles…" Sumire whisper.

Benji and Kanna chatting over Benji's evil mind: (Read as evil mind as a mind filled with thoughts inappropriate to people under eighteen.)

"Evil minded-niichan indeed. Bad Benji." Kanna says teasing. "Yeah, yeah I have a very polluted mind." Benji says in the same tone. "So what you showed to him?" Kanna asks

"Nothing that I can talk about on a place like this." Benji replies. "Mmmmm…then mind in telling me later?" Kanna says with a sexy smile "Maybe even showing few things."

"I wouldn't mind that." Benji replies Kanna smile with an equal one.


	13. A cold day to remember

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the chapter nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

Chapter twelve: A cold day to remember

Teito January seventh 1923

Iris runs by the theater halls clutching tightly to Jean-Paul. She founds her destination and using her powers she unlocks the door and races inside the room.

"Benji-niichan!" Iris shouts leaping on the ninja bed over his fully covered form. She is straddling him. "Benji-niichan wake up! We have problems!" Iris continues.

A groan leaves the covers she pulls the thick blanket from the pillow. And she actually sees Benji feet in thick socks. Benji uncovers his head and Iris sees that he is sleeping over his stomach with the feet turned to the headrest. "What is wrong Iris-chan?" Benji asks in a sleepy voice. Iris leaps over him inverting her position. She lands over Benji back and hears his back popping loudly. She is now facing the ninja. Benji let out a surprised gasp of pleasure when his spine popped under Iris weight. He spins his body and faces Iris who is now sited over his stomach.

"What is wrong Iris-chan?" Benji asks "It is only nine AM…" he adds looking at his new watch that Ayame gave to him after Iga so his own watch wouldn't d noticed by others. "Kanna-neechan and Sumire-neechan are fighting." Iris says in a worried voice.

"What it is new over that?" Benji replies "I am going to sleep again." "This time is different. They are trying to hit the other!" Iris shouts. With this new piece of information Benji is fully wake. He is aware of how dangerous that is. He gets up gently taking Iris from her seat on his stomach. He jumps out of the bed. He is wearing his usual loose sleeping pants and a t-shirt. His arms are still covered with bandages.

"Where those two are?" Benji asks. "In the stage! We were doing a rehearsal for the new play. But Ogami-niichan and Maria-neechan left with Yoneda and Ayame-neechan." Iris replies. The ninja runs out of the bed room. Iris uses her powers to keep up floating behind him. But Benji is by far faster. He skitters a bit on the turns since he is after all wearing only socks. He room reaches the stage and sees Sumire and Kanna charging at the other. Sumire is holding a prop spear and Kanna is packing a punch. Benji jumps unnoticed by the duo. Before the duo can attack the other they are stopped by Benji. The ninja grabbed Sumire spear and hand and Kanna wrist and fully stopped the duo momentum and motions.

"Now what you two think that you are doing?" Benji growls his question. Benji increase the pressure of his hands on the duo. Sumire stares to the broken spear not even sure of how it broke in the first place. Kanna stares at her friend and occasional sparring partner. The pressure on her wrist is very strong and she is sure that it will leave a bruise.

"I asked what you two think that you where doing?" Benji says. "It is not your business!" Sumire replies trying to release her hand from Benji strong grip. "Wrong." Benji replies squeezing Sumire hand a bit harder. She cries in pain feeling her hand being hardly pressed against the wood spear and Benji hand.

"With out Yoneda, Ayame, Ogami or Maria here I am supposed to lead you in combat. Those where Yoneda words." Benji replies. Iris nods seeing the scene. The kazegumi arrived there in time to see Benji stopping the fight. "Why you two where fighting?" Benji asks.

"Let me go!" Sumire says trying to pull her hand. Benji holds her a bit stronger. "Answer me." Benji replies. The duo stays quiet. "Tsubaki!" Benji says looking to the Sannin musume. "Hai!" the brown haired girl replies. "Go to the kitchen and bring me a cup of raw rice." Benji says. "Hai!" she shouts running away.

"What you will do with that!" Sumire asks not sure if she want to found out. "Since you two aren't telling me why you two fought I guess that you two need some punishment for almost killing the other for stupid reasons." Benji replies. Tsubaki arrive with a cup or rice. Benji drags Kanna and Sumire to one side of the stage.

"Tsubaki drop half of the cup here. Make sure to form a compact area." Benji tells to the girl. She obeys. Benji kneels Sumire there making sure that she kneels over the rice with out the kimono between her knees and the hard rice grains. Sumire protest feeling the pain of the many rice grains burring on her knees.

"Stay there. This is a light thing comparing to what Yoneda and Ayame might do." Benji says. And he picks the rice and pulls Kanna to the other side of the stage and he pours the rice on the floor. "Pull up your pants Kanna and kneel down." Benji says to the red head. She does what she was told. She winces with the pain of the rice grains on her knees. Benji moves to the middle of the stage.

"You two are going to stay there until I say so. Think over what you two have done. You two could have got seriously hurt with that fight. Or worse hurtted someone else like Iris-chan." Benji says to the two women who are kneeled facing a corner. "You think that Iris-chan would be able to survive if you two hitted her?"

The duo pale up recalling Iris calling for them to stop the fight. Benji was right, Iris might have stepped in the middle of the fight and got badly hurt, that if they didn't killed her by accident. Sumire swallows bitterly her protests and complains, taking the punishment for her actions as well Kanna.

"Both of you feel free to complain to Yoneda over this. Until they arrive if I haven't let you two go stay here." Benji says walking down the stage. "You are bleeding." Kasumi says pointing to Benji now red stained bandages. "Fuck." Benji curses under his breath now feeling the pain of opening some of his wounds.

"Tsubaki you stay here and watch over them. Yuri you stick around in case they need water." Benji says to the kazegumi girls. The two nods and move to the stage. "I will clean up your wounds and dress them up. Follow me." Kasumi says to Benji. He nods and they move away. Iris moves to Tsubaki and Yuri who sited on two prop chairs in the middle of the stage.

In the infirmary

Kasumi is gathering medicines and bandages and Benji is sited on a chair unwrapping his left hand. He sighs seeing the blood flowing from a large cut on his wrist right above the vein. "That is looking pretty bad." Kasumi says sitting down after placing the goods on the table besides them. "Well considering that I stopped Kanna punch with this arm is not as bad." Benji replies. Kasumi nods and she finishes unwrapping his arm. She cleans his arm. "It is not so bad. What really happened is that the skin broke here and there. Nothing deep. Well taking out that cut on the wrist." She says dressing his wounds again. She repeats the process with the right arm. Much less damaged than the left.

"I wonder how the old man will react when they tell him about this." Benji says. "I am sure that he will understand. And won't be mad. After all you applied a punishment suitable to young children." Kasumi says chuckling. "They sure deserved that." Benji says.

"I am sure that you aren't happy in punishing Kanna too." Kasumi says. "I am not. But it wouldn't be fair if I punished only Sumire, just because Kanna is my friend. Both of them did that." Benji replies and Kasumi nods.

In the Count Hanakoji mansion

Yoneda, Ayame, Ogami and Maria are with the count in a room. "Well I don't see why you are so worried about this. The damages from the last battle was beyond the usual minimal." The count says. "The front of the shrine was damaged, the ground in front of it and few square meters of streets and sidewalks. Nothing much."

"We are worried with the fact that the demons that attacked the shrine weren't Wakijis or Masoukiheis. But the Onis of the legends." Yoneda says. "I understand your worries Yoneda. But we are not even sure if the Wakijis aren't an altered version of the Onis. Or even why they attacked the shrine." The count replies.

"About that, the head priest of the shrine gave to me a sword. It was the shrine treasure. It is an ancient sword knows because it killed thousands of demons. The head priest believes that the onis where after the sword. And when he gave the sword to Benji the Onis attacked him even fiercer." Yoneda says "He gave the sword to me because he believes that it will be safer in Benji hands than it would be in the shrine."

"That is a possibility. But we don't know for sure." The count replies. "By the way how is him?"

"He is recovering from the remaining wounds that his own technique caused on himself." Ayame answers. "That is good. But how he still can't control his own energy?" The count says.

"Benji-kun energy woke all of sudden. His body is not ready for it yet. The energy flowing system is underdeveloped and every time that he uses an attack the energy flows on his bloodstream and nerves giving him damage. Until it develops it is certain that he will still suffer to use his energy." Ayame explains. The count nods understanding. And the meeting goes on.

Three hours later in the theater

Benji walks to the stage and tells to the kazegumi that they can leave. The duo move away. Benji moves to Sumire and stand a hand for her.

"I guess that you two passed long enough like this." Benji says to her. Sumire takes his hand and he helps her to get up. She brushes her knees to remove the grains of rice from her legs. She tears up in pain as the blood runs freely to her legs in painful stings increasing the pain of the rice grains. They walk to Kanna and Benji helps her up too. She does the same as Sumire.

"I hope that you two understand that it is okay to argue. To be honest I think that is the way that you two let out the stress. But don't turn it on a fight." Benji says to them. "Sumire that spear even being fake could kill. The same goes for you Kanna. Your punches are deadly."

The duo nods understanding. "I got luck that the cut on my left wrist haven't busted open my vein. Kasumi said that a bit deeper and things would be bad for me." Benji adds to them. The duo pale up hearing the consequences of they actions.

"You know that both of you set back my healing in at least two more days? Yes Sumire you also made me open my wounds." Benji says "If it was someone weaker I am not even sure that it would have stopped you two. Or even got out of it alive. So think about what might happen to the others when you two decide to fight."

They nod. "That is a scolding or an advice?" Sumire asks. "Both. Now you two go take a long bath. That will ease the pain in your legs." Benji says "I will clean up the mess." They nod and walk away feeling guilty over the fight. Benji sighs and pick a broom and move to places where Kanna and Sumire were and clean them up.

"That is an odd way to give punishment." Sakura says coming from a backstage door. Benji continues to sweep the rice. "Make them kneel over rice is understandable. But then send them straight to bath to ease the pain sounds weird." She adds.

"The punishment is over Sakura. There isn't need to them be in pain longer than it needed. They got time to think over what they did and all that the rice did is inflict a light pain that won't even hurt they skin." Benji replies. Sakura picks a trash shovel and crouches near of the rice pile to Benji sweep the rice to the shovel.

"I am sure that now they will think twice before trying to fight." Sakura says. Benji nods absent minded.

By the lunch

Yoneda and the others arrive in the theater. Maria and Ogami go to the respective rooms. Benji found Yoneda and Ayame. After a small but detailed explanation the ninja tells to them what happened during the morning leaving out the fact of this wounds opening up. To Benji surprise Yoneda doesn't give him any kind of punishment and tell to the ninja to leave. Benji does so.

"Well that was for sure interesting." Yoneda says to Ayame. "Well for sure is. To be honest I am a bit surprised with the fact that Kanna and Sumire actually took the punishment that he gave so easily. I guess if we ever need a back up leader he will be up to it." Ayame comments. Yoneda nods. "And I am impressed with the fact that he just came and told us about it." Yoneda mutters.

Later Ayame found Sumire and Kanna on the dinning hall. Being aware of the morning event she decides to check something. "So anything happened while we were out?" Ayame asks to the duo. "No. It was a quite boring morning." Kanna replies.

"I felt the same. There was nothing to do." Sumire adds. "What? No comments about Benji's punishment or the fight." Ayame thinks. "So every thing went smoothly?" Ayame asks. "Yes. Any reason for us having problems?" they ask. "No. Just that I thought that you guys might have done something else to pass the time." Ayame replies.

"They aren't telling about it. But why?" Ayame thinks. She continues to chat with the duo trying to understand why they aren't telling about the punishment.

After the lunch

Benji is on the theater entry with his coat on and he is moving out. "Benji-san where you are going?" Tsubaki who was sweeping the gift shop asks him. "Just going out for a walk. I am not famous like the girls so there isn't much of reason for me stay locked here all day. If there is an attack I run for it." Benji says to the much shorter girl. "I will be back by dinner time on the tops. If Ayame asks tell her that." He adds and the shorter girl nods.

"Itekimasu." Benji says opening the door. "Iterashai!" the younger girl says in a cherry tone.

;Canta per me Italian version. Noir OST;

Benji leaves the theater moving on the streets covered with a thin coat of snow. It is softly snowing. The lonely ninja walks with out a direction by the streets. Too distracted and too covered up to feel the cold that frost his breathes each time that he exhales. He stops in a small park and see a small group of teens walking by it. They are wearing school uniforms. The boys are wearing black suits and the girls the winter version of the sera fuku. Benji see them by a chain link fence. He holds on the fence with his bandaged hand.

"How long passed since I was carefree like them?" he whispers in Portuguese. He moves to a bench an after sweeping the snow away with his hand sits down on it. "Have been so long since I hanged out with everyone…how they are taking all this?"

He knows that won't found an answer for that question. "It has been exactly five months since I was transported to the inner garden and to this city. Five entire months…" he adds recalling how long he was there. "I promised to Rosetta to teach her few moves. Juli birthday passed. Kimi and Lisa so called contest of domino. Donana and everyone else from my family must be very worried. Especially Donana with her neurosis like worry. And mother…" Benji thinks recalling of everyone that stayed behind. "Not even two weeks before I ended here I was scolding Rosetta for jumping on my stomach to wake me up, so she could pest me to teach her to shoot with the pressure rifle…"

Jacaraipe, Espirito Santo, Brazil January thirteenth, 2005

A young girl races thru a hall. She has brow hair that reaches her shoulders length and blue eyes. She is wearing a slight loose green t-shirt and boxer shorts. She enters on a living room and jumps when nearing a sofa where Benji is sleeping. "Benjiiiiii!" she shouts on the air right before landing over the young man stomach straddling him. He let out a painful gasp as all the air of his lungs is expelled at once. He wakes instantly with the pain and the lack of air.

He coughs breathing. "Benji you promised to teach me to shoot today!" the girl says to the young man. "Rosetta how many times I told you to not leap on my stomach!" he shouts to the girl. "Especially when I am sleeping! Kenzo did that enough to me!"

"Well I just forget them. Now teach me to shoot." She replies. "Come on Rosetta is too early. Last night we stood up until late." Benji says to the girl. "It is ten in the morning it is not early." She shots back. She raises her body by moving her legs, kneeling on the sofa. Then she let herself go falling on his stomach, making him gasp again. "Teach me!" she says to him. "Later." He replies. She smiles evilly and repeats the process until he gives up. "Okay!" he says tired of having a thirteen years old girl jumping up and down on his stomach. "Damn Rosetta I am tired and you come with this!"

"This is fun." She replies with a smile. "I could do this all day." Benji let out a sigh. Rosetta lean back a bit and rest her back on Benji legs. "You have five minutes to get out of this sofa. Or I will return with the revenge." She says before leaving her seat over his stomach. Benji sigh sitting up.

"Why me?" he complains to himself. "Don't feel so bad Benji." A female voice says. "I am sure that there would be lots of men who would love to be in your place under Rosetta." Benji turns to face a woman with black hair and a slight pale skin. Her graffiti black eyes smirking at him. "Give me a break Lisa. She is too young. I might be on the delay here but I am not that desperate." Benji replies in an angry tone.

"I am not saying that you are. I am only saying that there are men who would love to have Rosetta jumping like that over them." She replies clearly teasing him. "Feeling envious grandma." Benji says teasing. "Grandma your ass! I am only twenty seven!" Lisa replies angry. Benji get up and grab a white t-shirt and puts on moving to the bathroom to deal with his morning needs. Few minutes Benji is walking by a large hall like garage with a rifle on his right hand leaning on his shoulder and a large candle on the left. Rosetta is besides him with a smile. After placing the large candle on the unused attic door he and Rosetta move by a backyard to a two store depot on the back. After getting on the second floor they move to the balcony.

"Okay first thing on this is founding the spot where you want to shoot. Since it is your first time we just stay in a straight line with the target." Benji says moving so they are facing the attic door and the large white candle on it. "Then if you will stay long in the position you should make a nest." He continues.

"A nest?" Rosetta asks not understanding what he meant. "It is a term. A sniper that stays too long in a spot waiting for its target appear to take the shot makes a nest. So he can place the rifle on a fix position. I used to make mine sitting and resting the rifle on the balcony. But you are too short for that." Benji says explaining. "You can also make a nest where you lie down with the gun."

They pull a table to the spot where he placed the rifle. "Now lie over the table with your stomach down if you will use it as the nest. But before I will give you the basis." Benji says to her. Rosetta nods. Benji picks the rifle and pull the barrel down he is creating the pressure to fire the bullet. He picks a small box filled with small leap projectiles for the rifle and loads one. Then he fixes the barrel.

"To begin the basic is loading. You do just what I did." He says and Rosetta nod. He rests the rifle butt on his right shoulder and lean his head taking aim. Benji fires and hit the candle. Rosetta let out a cry of excitement with it. She can see the dark lead on the white candle. Benji gives the now unloaded rifle to her. She holds like he did. "It is heavy." She comments. "I know. Get used." Benji replies to her.

"Rest your cheek lightly on the side of the butt. Make sure that the aim is centered on the target." Benji says "This line must be perfectly fit between these two markers." He adds showing the aim parts with his index finger. "Until you the moment when you take the shot rest your trigger finger on the trigger guard so you won't shoot by accident." She nods hearing his instructions. "When ready squeeze the trigger gently. Not too hard. Just the enough to pull it back. Too much strength will make your aim goes slightly off. And in long distance shots that means that you will miss." Benji adds. Rosetta nods again. "You can tie the barrel on a pillar, post or anything solid to help you to not miss. Resting the barrel on something solid and that won't move helps too. Less movement in the barrel means better accuracy." Benji explains and the brown haired girl nods hearing with eager. "Now load it." Benji says. Rosetta obeys carefully. And then get ready to shoot. Benji moves behind her and leaning to reach her holds the rifle over her hands. "Hold it with strength but also not too strong. Aim carefully." Benji says near of her ear. She blushes and obeys. "Center the target on the aim." He adds. Rosetta licks her lips while aiming. She moves her finger to the trigger and Benji finger follow gently pressuring hers to show how it is done.

"Shot between your breaths. You can also hold your breath when you fire." He whispers. He hears Rosetta letting out a small breath and he presses her finger and the trigger gently. And she fires the rifle. The small recoil of the air gun hit her also small body. "Not bad." Benji says letting her go. Her shot hitted the candle near of where his had.

"I did it!" she cries happy. "I hitted it!" Benji nods to her. "Now do it alone. You can do standing or lying on that table and resting the rifle on the balcony rail." Benji says. "Okay!" she says excited while reloading the rifle. Benji picks the rifle. She is about to protest. But Benji with a sudden wrist move fixes the barrel with a loud clicking noise, make her reconsider protest. Benji holds the rifle with his right hand and Rosetta follow the line of his eyes and see Lisa with a beer can walking out of the garage. She sees Benji leveling up the barrel aiming at the brunette. She is too afraid to do or say anything that might cause the rifle to go off. Unlike his warnings Benji finger is on the trigger.

"Please someone tell me he is not going to shoot her…" she thinks. Benji smiles and pull the trigger. Rosetta hears the loud noise of the rifle going off. "Benji you bastard!" Lisa shouts from the garage. Rosetta opens her eyes and sees Lisa all wet with beer and the can gushing the golden liquid from two holes.

"That is your payback for this morning!" Benji shouts down to her. The girl let out a relieved sigh. Benji spins the gun like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator two. "One very important thing. Never, ever aim to someone else. Even with the rifle unloaded. You never might know for sure if it will be unloaded. Even small the bullets of this can kill if hitting a sensitive spot or even blind someone. There is many ways of things going bad with a gun. Understood?" Benji says to her in a serious tone.

"Yes." She says. "Good. Now have fun." He says handing the rifle for her before moving to the stairs. Rosetta takes few calming breaths before loading the rifle again. "He scared me for good." She whispers. "But that was a really good shot."

"Benji how bare you shoot my beer!" Lisa shouts to him. "Just shooting it." He replies moving to the house.

Two hours later

On the end of the garage Benji is putting coal on a half of a steel barrel that is over a metal frame. He sets fire on the coal. "Juli the fire is on! How is the meat?" Benji shouts to the house. "I am finishing seasoning the chicken hearts! Come here and help me to chop the bull ribs!" a female voice replies. Benji walks inside the house. There is a young woman with red hair on the kitchen, she is shorter than Benji. "Where is the ribs Juli?" Benji asks to her. "On the fridge." Julietta replies.

Benji takes out the large piece of meat from the fridge and a large cleaver from a drawer and cuts it even the bones. After sometime the duo walk to the barrel and place many trays of uncooked meat on a table besides the barrel. Benji picks a metal spike and stabs few pieces of meat on it and put over the fire on the metal frame. He repeats that with pork meat and chicken.

One hour later

Benji is cutting some already cooked meat. Lisa and Julietta are chatting near of the table sipping beer and soda. "Rosetta it is ready come down to eat!" Benji shouts. The girl is surprised and looks at him. Her aim goes off and she fires at Benji. He reacts fast and blocks with the cleaver. Sparks flow with the contact and the small bullet hit the ground. Benji sigh in relieve seeing that he managed to block the lead before it hitted him in the face. Julietta and Lisa look impressed with his reflexes. Rosetta comes down running.

"I am sorry! Benji I am sorry!" she says tackling hugging him. "You surprised me and the gun went off!" Benji pats her in the head. "I know. It is ok. I am not hurt or angry." He says to the crying girl. "I managed to block it."

Lisa picks down the small bullet and the cleaver. "Damn. It even scratched the cleaver!" she says seeing the items, specially the side of the cleaver. The bullet is fully bended out of shape. "How you blocked it Benji?" Julietta asks.

"A mix of luck and skill." Benji replies. "I calculated where the bullet would hit me by seeing the barrel." Julietta stares at him. "How you can calculate that you suck so bad doing that in the math classes?" she asks in disbelieve. "I may suck in the theory part, but that doesn't mean that I will suck applying it. Just like physics." Benji replies. Rosetta stops sobbing hugging him.

"Now eat some meat and drink some soda it will make you feel better." Benji says to her. She nods and obeys. "You were for sure lucky that you reacted fast enough." Lisa says and Benji nods agreeing. "By the way where are Kimihito and Luziandro?" Benji says changing the subject.

"They went to the beach a bit." Julietta replies. "Bad for them. More for me." Benji says picking a piece of meat for himself. The older girl's chuckle deciding to let the incident behind.

Teito January seventh 1923

"Damn I miss them…" Benji whispers finally breaking the memory spell from that long passed Sunday. Benji sighs again cleaning few cold tears that forced the way from his eyes. He gets up and walks again. The sun is beginning to settle as the ninja wanders on the cold city.

"Hitotsume no kotoba wa yume

nemuri no naka kara

mune no oku no kurayami wo sotto

tsuredasu no.

Futatsume no kotoba wa kaze

yukute wo oshiete

kamisama no ude no naka e

tsubasa wo aoru no.

Tokete itta kanashii koto wo

kazoeru you ni

kin'iro no ringo ga

mata hitotsu ochiru.

Mita koto mo nai fuukei

soko ga kaeru basho

tatta hitotsu no inochi ni

tadoritsuku basho.

Furui mahou no hon

tsuki no shizuku yoru no tobari

itsuka aeru yokan dake.

We can fly

we have wings

we can touch floating dreams

call me from so far

through the wind

in the light

Mittsume no kotoba wa hum ..

mimi wo sumashitara

anata no furueru ude wo

sotto tokihanatsu." Benji sings lowly to himself as he returns to the theater

Vitória Espirito Santo, Brazil

Julietta looks to Kaori. "That is Voices." Julietta says looking to the older woman. "It is." She replies in a wistful tone. "Benji's very top favorite music. I recall that he said that he seeked that song for years after only hearing it once."

"Macross plus. When passed on the Multishow channel years ago. Benji used to say that it was his holy piece. The single thing that turned him into an anime fan. But he only truly turned into a fan years later. But he never forgot that anime." Julietta says in a sad tone. "I was the one who found that song to him."

"I remember. He played it so many times that song over and over. I hated to hear because it was early in the morning and the singer voice was too high to my taste." Kaori says. "Still over the years I learned to like it. As well many others of his anime songs."

The duo smile bitterly. "Why you sang it now?" Julietta asks. "I just felt like it. He loved that one so much." Kaori replies. Julietta nods agreeing. "He sure did."

End of the chapter twelve:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I own the man in the dark, the robbed figure and the chained woman. As well Benji and Peçonha. Those are my original characters. Even thought the man in the dark is a small homage to a friend. I won't reveal his name for a while. But I have his permission for the man in the dark. The MF-1HD Guardian pistol it is a fictitious gun that I created and it belongs to me.

Japanese glossary:

Itekimasu: It means I am leaving. It can also be translated different. Japanese people usually say it when leaving a place.

Iterashai: It means something like leave safely. Or go with god. Or other sentences of on the line of wishing someone a safe journey.

Benji song: It isn't mine song. It is a song from Macross plus. I do love that song and know the lyrics of it by heart. Here are the English lyrics.

The first word was "dream"

From the middle of sleep

Which secretly accompanies

The darkness in my heart

The second word was "wind"

Directing my journey

From God's arms,

Fanning wings

As if counting

the melting sorrows,

Yet another golden

apple fell

Not even looking at the scenery,

There is the place you're going

With merely a single life,

You struggle to reach that place

An old magic book;

Moon drops; the curtain of night--

Only a premonition of meeting someday

We can fly

We have wings

We can touch floating dreams

Call me from so far

Through the wind

In the light

The third word was "hum"..

Caught by straining ears

As I softly release

Your trembling arms

Author pos-story notes:

In this chapter I showed few of my friends on the story taking a more active part. Let me explain few things.

First this is a fic. So I am romancing, changing and adding few memories. With the permission of my friends who where there. Like the barbecue. That was a changed memory. The incident with the pressure rifle too. I am not sure that I would be lucky enough to block it if truly happened. But who knows. To put it simple some of my life history was changed to make the fic more interesting.

Second my friends. All my friends that appear allowed me to use them. Some even asked to be used some of my old characters instead of them. Julietta for example. She is a character of mine based on an old friend that moved away many years ago and I lost contact with her. But another friend asked to be show as Julietta. Just adding the things that happened between us on the story. Like an event between Benji and Julietta might be an event between me and this friend. And this friend of mine asked to be divided in two characters. Kimihito and Julietta. One thing this friend is a male. It was his choice on the matter and I won't argue.

Lisa. A good friend of mine when I was a kid. She moved away many years ago and I lost contact with her. I changed the character a bit. On the real live she is much older than me. Lisa actions are a mix of her real personality and my creation.

Rosetta. Based on a childhood friend. I based her on an old friend from my school when I was about seven. An original character. Some of her actions were based on my cousins and on my younger sister. Her appearance was created by me.

Kaori. My mother. Her name was changed and she picked the name. Most of her actions and character are taken from her.

Third some of you might notice that most of the characters that I just named appear in some of my other fics. That is true. I used characters based on my friends and family since the beginning.

Fourth on the future story I might mention the pen name of my past reviewers on the fic itself. Please don't ask me to mention your name. Especially if you began to review me after Outcast was first posted. Please remember that on the fic I was warped to the world of Sakura Taisen. As far as 'I' know 'I' living that. So I won't know that it is a fic and that I got reviews. And I might only mention the reviewers and fellow writers that I am friend of before the story begins. As a good friend of mine that we chat every other day on the MSN. But if I do so I will ask for his or hers permission first.

Sorry for this long note but it was needed. Thank you for your attention.

OMAKES:

Benji mad dash to stop Kanna and Sumire:

The ninja runs out of the bed room. Iris uses her powers to keep up floating behind him. But Benji is by far faster. Benji makes a tight turn. "SHHIIIIIIIITTTT!" Benji shouts skittering on the polished wood floor only wearing his socks and crashes on Tsubaki gift shop. Iris closes her eyes seeing him crashing and breaking the stand.

Benji punishing Kanna and Sumire:

"Tsubaki bring me rope and a wet towel." Benji says to the brown haired girl. "Hai!" she replies running away to obey the taller man. Sumire and Kanna froze at the word towel coming from his lips. Tsubaki returns quickly and Benji tip up the duo against a wall with them back turned to him.

"Please Benji reconsider!" Kanna says hearing him flicking the towel. "MMmm…no." Benji says slapping Sumire buttocks with the damp towel. Sumire let's out a howl of pain. Not like the scream on her first time taking a towel whipping. Then Kanna knew that the damn towel hurts much more by being whipped too. Kanna howls too when Benji whip her.

"This would be much easier if you two just told me the reason of the fight and make up like good girls." Benji says giving a new whip on each girl. "But no. You two have to be bad. So take the punishment"


	14. Party night

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter thirteen: Party night

Teito January seventh 1923

Kanna is on her room. She is lying on her bed. She thought over what happened on the morning and as more she thinks about more she sees how right Benji was about it. What Kanna doesn't know is that Sumire is doing the same and got in the same conclusion.

On the theater halls

Ayame is walking on the halls looking for someone. "Benji-kun." She calls "Benji-kun." She just left the ninja room and didn't found him there. Ayame keeps looking for him. "Benji-kun." She calls moving on the entrance of the theater. "He left." Tsubaki says to Ayame. "What you mean by he left?" Ayame asks to the young brown haired girl.

"He said that he was going to take a walk and by the dinnertime he would be back." Tsubaki says giving to Ayame the message that the Brazilian left for her.

"Gee…always on his medicine time." Ayame says in a concerned and disapproving tone. "Medicine time?" Tsubaki asks "Is him sick?" "It is nothing much Tsubaki. Just some antibiotics to make sure that his arm wounds doesn't get infected." Ayame replies. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Hum." Tsubaki replies nodding.

Teito January eighth 1923

In the imperial theater everyone is working. Well everyone taking out Sumire. Benji is aiding the kazegumi to decorate the dinning hall. Sakura and Kanna are leaving to do a major food shopping. Kohran is working on the sound system and on a fireworks show. Maria and Iris are picking flowers and arranging on small bouquets. Ogami is keeping Sumire distracted. Yoneda is buying alcohol and tasting all to see if is good. And Ayame is writing a report for the elder's council about Benji. The dinning hall is being filled with the bouquets and decorative ribbons. With an unusual skill Benji is making some very complicated looking but very pretty laces with the fabric, so Maria and Iris can tie the small bouquets.

Ogami leave the theater with Sumire for a so called shopping for needed goods. An excuse to take Sumire out of the theater so everyone can work. Benji idea. Just say that Sumire knowledge of the shopping district would help and being asked by Ogami and Sumire would go. And it worked nicely.

After two hours Kanna and Sakura arrive on the theater both with very large shopping bags. Passing by the dinning hall to the kitchen they begun to empty the bags and separating the ingredients for the birthday cake and the dinner. "What the hell is this?" Kanna says picking a can but not able to read the letters on the label.

"We bought that in that foreign shop. You picked up." Sakura says. "I did?" Kanna asks. Sakura nods her answers. "But I don't even know what this is." Kanna replies. "That is occidental writing. I am sure that Maria-san must know what that is." Sakura says. "Good idea Sakura!" Kanna says moving to the dinning hall. "Oi Maria!" Kanna says moving to the blonde.

"What is wrong Kanna?" Maria replies looking up from the bouquet that she is arranging. "Mind in reading what this is?" The red head asks. "It is written in occidental letters and we can't read it."

Maria nods and picks the can that Kanna is holding. She looks at the can reading the letters. "Le…Lei...leite…con…con…mo…moça…" Maria says trying hard to say what the can says. Benji ears almost move picking up Maria attempt to read the label. In a blink of eyes the tall brunette is not only in between Kanna and Maria but with the can on his hand.

All the girls stare to the tall ninja not understanding how he ended there all of sudden. Especially since he was on the other side of the room. (Leite moça!) Benji cries happily "I never thought that I would found something like this on this city!"

"How he did that!" Maria asks to the others looking at her still open hand. Her hand is still open as if holding the can. "I don't know. But he sure knows what that is." Kanna replies. The long unheard sound of Benji's butterfly knife opening on a high speed. Benji stabs the edge of the can with a quick move and they stare as he skillfully cuts open the can top. Kanna sees a thick white yellowish liquid on the can and feels a very sweet scent coming from the can.

Benji tosses the knife on a small block of a hard clay like sponge used to make flower vases. :The base of the bouquets.: The knife blade buries halfway inside the material forming a small thick pool of the liquid. Benji grabs an unused soup spoon from a small fruit salad snack that they made a couple hours before. Benji takes a spoonful of the can and eat it with his eyes shinning with delight.

"MMmnnnn…..this is so good…." Benji purrs with pleasure. All the girls in the room taking out Iris shiver with the cat like purr and the raw pleasure on the voice and face of the tall man. "Benji what the hell is that stuff……" Benji cuts Kanna sentence by shoving on her open mouth a spoonful of the Leite Moça. "Hey don't go shoving things on other people mouths…." It was Kanna first thought. "Mmmnnn…so good….nevermind the shoving…Mmmmm" Kanna face shows a great pleasure as she sexily sucks the thick liquid from the spoon. A thin white yellowish line of the Leite moça run down her chin escaping from the corner of her lips. She let go the spoon when she cleaned it up from all the sweet tasting milk. She licks her lips and notices the line of milk there and cleans up with her index finger and licks it up.

"MMmnnnn….so tasty…give me more of it Benji…I don't care what it is... I want it…" Kanna says in a sexy and pleading tone, with a small blush tinting her cheeks. That makes all the hairs in the back of Benji neck stand on the ends. The others look at the Okinawan with surprise. The kazegumi stared the event with a major blush. Since both Benji and Kanna sounded and looked very sexy in a very short period of time. Iris still don't get why the Sannin musume is blushing or why Maria left eye brow is twitching. Or why Sakura is holding her nose with a thin trail of blood escaping from between her fingers.

Benji takes a spoonful himself and give Kanna another one. "You guys want some?" Benji asks while Kanna holds his right hand sucking the spoon. "Iris wants it!" Iris cries moving to him and scooping some of it. She licks her finger.

"Sweet! So good!" Iris cries in delight. "That is good?" Tsubaki asks still blushing like a tomato. "Really good!" Iris chirps racing to get herself a spoon. After two minutes most of the girls tasted it and loved it. All but Maria who is not willing to taste it. She is curious but she is not going to accept something that Benji knows and likes that much.

"I don't want it." Maria says to them. "But it is so good!" Sakura and Iris say as one. Kanna moves closer of Benji and whispers something on the Brazilian ear. Benji nods and Kanna moves to Maria, who is busy trying to convince Sakura, Iris and now Tsubaki that she doesn't want to taste the Leite moça.

Kanna holds Maria from behind with one arm and closes her nose. Kanna turns to Benji and when feeling her breath running short the blonde opens her mouth and breathe in. Benji uses that moment and shoves carefully the spoon on the blonde mouth. Before Maria can spit out the spoon and the thick milk Kanna covers her mouth forcing Maria to feel the taste of the sweet milk.

Maria eyes show anger, but quickly changes to shock and pleasure. Until it ends in a pleasure and delight. "That was the last one." Benji says looking at the now empty can. "No!" the trio of Sakura, Iris and Tsubaki cry. Maria struggles on Kanna grip. The red head let go of the blonde still holding the spoon. She slaps Benji hard. The ninja was busy showing to the trio the empty can to notice the raging blonde until her slap connects with his left cheek.

"You bastard!" she says turning away. "What?" Benji asks confused. "It was Kanna idea." Benji mutters. Maria tosses to the red head a glare before leaving the room. "Sorry pal I never considered that she would react this badly." Kanna apologizes to the ninja. "It is okay. I got harder hits on the training." Benji says rubbing his now sore cheek.

"Jeez. I thought that maybe if she joined the party she would feel less angry." Kanna adds checking Benji cheek. Benji lets the Okinawan look at his cheek to ease her mind. "So Sakura where you got this?" Benji asks "As far as I know this is only made in Brazil."

"Kanna and I where walking on Ginza and we entered on this store where she bought some spices. And she got that can." The brunette replies. Benji smiles naughtily, causing the Kazegumi and Sakura to shiver. "Okay new plan everyone." Benji says. The girls gather around him to listen. "Well to begin Sakura and I will go to that store. Kanna you begun to cook what you will cook." Benji says and the duo nod. "Yuri, Kasumi. You two continue to decorate the dinning hall. Tsubaki, you and Iris do the bouquets." And the duo nods at the instructions.

"Benji wait." Kanna says before the ninja can go. The others are already doing the chores. "Bring me one can or two of that stuff." She adds handing him some money. "I was going to do it anyway." Benji replies. "What is the name of that?" Kanna asks. "Well the name in Portuguese is Leite condensado. Or condensed milk in Japanese." Benji says. Kanna nods. "But you know that some brands of products get so famous that people use that brand to call all the products. Leite Moça is like that. It is a label." Benji adds.

"I see. Well that stuff it is really good." Kanna says. "I know." Benji replies. "Ja." Benji says moving away. "Ja." Kanna says moving to the kitchen. Benji meets Sakura on the entry, after picking up his coat and they leave. Kanna notices that Benji forgot his knife on the table. She picks it up and takes to the kitchen with her so she can wash it before returning it.

Meanwhile on the Teito streets

Benji and Sakura move by the cold streets. "Your cheek hurts?" Sakura asks trying to break the silence. "No. I am fine." Benji replies. "You are feeling angry about Maria-san?" Sakura asks. "No. I mean she over did a bit. But still I did shove the spoon on her mouth." Benji replies "She is still tugging at that first incident." Sakura says. Benji knows very well what she means. His appearance on the theater and the fact that he broke her fingers on his escape.

"I can't please everyone." Benji says in a slight sad tone. "All that I can do. I did already. Now it is up to her." "You could try talking to Ayame-san about it." Sakura says. "No. I said this to her once. I won't force her to anything. If she wants to be my friend then we will be friends. If she doesn't I will still be friendly to her." Benji replies. Sakura stays in silence. "Besides Sakura sooner or later she will make up her mind. You and Kanna did." Benji adds, making the much shorter girl smile.

"But why you didn't dodged it?" Sakura asks. "I mean you dodged those attacks when you faced the Onis. Also on the Sanada mansion." Sakura adds. Benji sighs. "Gomen nasai! I didn't mean anything!" Sakura chirps afraid of hurting the ninja feelings. "It is okay Sakura. I sighed trying to figure how to explain to you." Benji replies. Sakura now sigh relieved.

"Well in battle my senses are sharper than in normal situations. And I was with my guard down and distracted." Benji says. "I see." Sakura says. "I thought since you have this amazing fighting skill you would be able to dodge it."

Benji chuckles, Sakura looks confused. "Sakura my skills are poor. Not amazing. That is another reason that Maria is so angry and dislikes me." Benji says. "Your sword skill is by far better than mine. Kanna martial arts are by far better than mine. Even Ogami karate is better than mine. Maria is a far better shooter than I am. And even Iris controls her powers better than me." Sakura hears Benji with some surprise.

"But you are a match to Kanna when you two spar. You shoot well. How you can say that you aren't good at those. Sword and control you are still learning." Sakura says. "I had one year in karate and not like Kanna. Mine was three classes of two hours each by week. A couple years of Ninjutsu that was just like the karate. Some judo and aikido too. My armed combat techniques are flawed and self-teached. I am only better than you guys when fighting with knifes. That because I have huge loads of experience on that. Plain and simply putting Sakura, I am an amateur." Benji says to the brunette.

"True that I match Kanna in ours spars. But ask her that is because I fight dirty and she never knows what I am going to do. And that I am by far more aggressive than her. Still Kanna would wipe the floor with me if I used only fair moves."

Sakura looks at him. "I don't understand. Benji, I have heard Kanna say more than once that you are good. And every time that you two spar you are a bit better than before. She told me that she saw you grabbing a knife on the air. That is not something that even her can do. Trust me we tried while you and Ayame-san where in Iga. Not with real knifes. Still Kanna wasn't able to do it. She barely blocked them." Sakura says to him.

"Kanna is seeing in you as a worthy rival and a friend. She told us before you left for Iga that she was eager to train with you and learn few of your moves. I saw you fighting with Kanna sometimes and Ayame showed to us the assault in Iga and the Oni fight. And we studied the tape of your battle against the Kishi many times. I am a swordswoman. I can tell that your skill back then was crude, but effective. Now your skill is halfway polished. At least in hand to hand combat and armed combat. You are beginning to get the hold of your spirit energy too. Something that you couldn't back then." Sakura adds to him.

"I also don't control my energy all that well. My sword skills need to be polished. And for sure you are a better unarmed fighter than I am. With or with out your so called dirty tricks."

Benji looks at the brunette. "You think that a three months training in ninjutsu and kenjutsu are all that good Sakura? You are right. I am better than before. But I am still an amateur. Only better trained. I am only too stubborn to accept that I will lose and I fight hard to avoid it." Benji says.

"Think a bit Benji. Of all of us, you are the only one who can use your energy with out something to help you. Your Rai Bow is a proof of that. I need my arataka to imbue with my energy to fight demons. Kanna uses her fists. Maria her revolver and bullets. I can keep listing. But you are the only one who can use your energy with out anything as a weapon. Only your energy is your weapon." Sakura says recalling him of his own move. "That is not something that I would see in an amateur. I heard legends and in all of them only masters could do what you are doing."

Benji thinks on Sakura words. He is not sure if he tells about all the others animes that anyone could use ki as they will. He decides to not tell. "I think that you are putting yourself too down. And that is giving you a distorted view of your own skills." Sakura adds. Benji stays in silence thinking over her words. "We are here." She says.

They are in front of a small half hidden shop. They get inside. Benji eyes go wide with surprise.

"OH MY GOD!" Benji shout sin surprise seeing the goods. He moves to a shelf. "I don't believe on this!" Benji says grabbing a large brick like package. (Mariola!) he cries happily sniffing the thru the aluminium paper wrapping it. (Goiabada!) he cries grabbing another one. Sakura grabs a small basket where Benji tosses the two large bars. (Doce de leite!) He says picking a large glass pot filled with a light brown material.

"You seen to know much about Brazilian candies." An elder man says walking to them. "Well considering that he is Brazilian I guess that it is natural." Sakura spurts Benji nationality. Benji gets stiff. He knows that on that time of the history there isn't many Japanese people in Brazil. How he can explain his name. "Really? He doesn't look all that Brazilian. But considering our country background it is not unusual." The elder says. Benji relax a bit.

"Well now I understand why you are so excited over the candies. How long you are living here?" the man asks. "Five months." Benji replies. "Only that!" the man asks in disbelieve "Your Japanese is perfect."

(Eu tive uma otima professora.) :I had a great teacher.: Benji says in Portuguese. (She must be really good. You even have an accent from Kanto.) The man says. Sakura doesn't understand what they are saying. As Benji and the man chat about candies in Portuguese Sakura began to feel lonely, hearing the excitement on Benji voice even thought she can't understand his words.

Then she understands why Ayame is always near Benji before Iga and after Iga. Because he feels lonely. And she recalls that still talking Japanese Benji is a stranger on a strange country. Alone even in a crowd. An outcast as Ayame called him. Sakura sees Benji laughing from a joke that the man told. And understand why he was so happy in founding that can and the shop. It is a way to be closer of his home. And she understand that his reason on going to the shop. Seeking the warm feeling of being close of home. Talking on his own mother land language with someone who also speaks it.

And Sakura recalls that even her is almost in a situation as his, but no as bad as his. Far from her homeland, family and friends. She has many new friends. Still she recalls what she is left behind. And she tears up because of her own family that she left behind and for Benji on his situation.

"Oi Sakura why you are crying? Are you hurt?" Benji asks to the shorter brunette. The man has walked to the back of the store and Benji turned to Sakura and saw her crying. "No. I am fine. I just recalled a sad part of one of our olds plays." Sakura replies to the taller brunette. "Are you sure?" Benji asks. "Hum!" Sakura reply nodding. "Okay then." Benji says picking a handkerchief and giving to the shorter girl. She accepts the handkerchief and cleans her tears.

"Well let's pick up few more things before we leave." Benji says and Sakura nods. She follows him close not sure how Benji can smile in his situation. Sakura knows that for her it is easy get rid of the longing by just taking a train to Sendai. But Benji's case isn't that easy. And Ayame told to them more than once that Benji situation is very complicated and he might return to his land in any moment or he might never return. But he also can't return when he wants.

"How he keeps himself with a light mood passing by this?" Sakura thinks seeing the tall man filling the basket that she is carrying with many goods. Half hearted hearing him saying something about making some really amazing candies for the party.

Sometime later they are paying up the goods. "Well considering that you are a Brazilian lad I will give you a small discount. And since you bought so much. Want to deliver?" the man asks. "No thank you. We carry." Benji says. "But Benji we don't have any bags." Sakura says. Benji smiles and he open his coat. He takes his right arm from the sleeve and dig on the inner part of the coat back for a tightly folded bag pack. Benji hands the unfolded bag to Sakura and began to fill the bag with the many and heavy goods. Before putting on his back.

"You carry a bag pack on your coat!" Sakura asks surprised. "It is never too much to be ready for anything. I asked this coat to be made with many inner pockets. You would be surprised with what I have on it." Benji replies to the surprised swordswoman. They paid the man and leave. Benji is happy. He got a tab on that store that he will be for sure visiting many times on his stay.

Sakura stays in silence not wanting to disrupt his mood. But she hears Benji singing a low tune. "Yane no ue de sora o aogu, hizashi wa uraraka. Miageru sora, karadajuu genki ga minagitteku. THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! Ikiterunda! Yamerarenai, akirameru da nante."

"What song is that?" Sakura asks to the ninja. Benji stops. Not only singing but walking. "She heard me…damn…I was so distracted that I forgot." Benji thinks. "Just a song that I heard." Benji replies with a fake smile. That with lots of practice that he got during his stay there is almost like an honest one.

"It is nice." Sakura says in a slight sad tone. "Say Benji would you mind if we had a cup of tea before we return to the theater it is a bit cold and want to drink something warm."

"Sure. No problem." Benji says with a less fake smile. They walk a bit off the path into a small tea house. "Give me a cup of Sendai tea with a Sendai mochi." Sakura asks to the waitress. Then Benji understood what happened. "I want the same." Benji asks.

Sakura looks at the ninja and the waitress walk away to get the order. "I made you miss your homeland, didn't I?" Benji asks to Sakura. Sakura nods shyly. Benji can't help on feeling how ironic it is the incident. "I wrote a scene like this on Violet Blossoms." Benji thinks.

"How you do it?" Sakura asks to him breaking the uncomfortable silence. The waitress returns with the order and leave. "How you manage to smile and act so carefree like this?"

Benji sigh. "It is hard to explain Sakura. But I don't think that feeling depressed would do any good." Benji says to the brunette girl that drinks her tea with a hint of tears on her eyes.

"I am used to stay alone. Back in my home I got used to stay alone for long periods. For me is normal. It is different on this situation. But I would make everyone back home worried if I stayed depressed."

"But you were so eager on the shop. So excited over those candies of your country." Sakura says. "Well I will be honest. I miss my home. But is just that." Benji says. "I just love those candies."

Sakura looks at him with disbelieve. "It will taste like home. It will give me a nice feeling. But still what make me act as I am acting is my will. Sometimes doesn't hurt to be reminded of home." Benji says "Remember Kanna face when I first shoved the spoon on her mouth?" Benji asks in a happier tone. Sakura nods with a smile.

"I was very happy that something from my homeland gave Kanna such good feelings. She is my friend as you are. Part of the reason that I wanted to go there was to make you guys some candies that are traditional on Brazil. Because I know that all of you will like it." Benji says "And I want to make at least Ayame, Iris, Kanna and you smile over it. I know that I will like it."

Sakura nods. "So it is a way to ease the feeling of being away?" she asks. "Well can be." Benji replies. Sakura gulps down her tea. "Hurry up then!" she says clearly sounding much better. "What?" Benji replies. "Gulp it down and finish the mochis. We have to make those candies." Sakura says to him. "Wait a minute Sakura!" Benji says "You have any idea of how bitter Japanese tea is for me? I can't just gulp it down it is too hot!"

Sakura holds his hand that is with the cup and lowers her head to touch the cup with her lips and she gulps down his tea. She makes him put down the cup and pay for the orders and drag the taller ninja away. "Hurry!" Sakura says pulling the ninja. "Yane no ue de sora o aogu, hizashi wa uraraka. Miageru sora, karadajuu genki ga minagitteku. THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! Ikiterunda! Yamerarenai, akirameru da nante." Sakura sings.

"Ne Benji-kun how the songs goes on!" she asks clearly sounding happy. Benji notices the change on her way of calling him. It took a while for him convince her of calling him only of Benji, instead of Benji-san. Now she began to call him of Benji-kun like Ayame.

"Tohou ni kureta kinou ni sayonara

Futsufutsu to wakiagaru kono kimochi

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Omoide wa itsu mo amai nige basho

Dakedo tachi kire, asu o ikiru tame

Shukufuku no toki wa kuru, te o nobashite."

Benji sings and Sakura follows.

"Uruwashi no yawaraka na hada, imada te wa todokazu

Me o tojireba fukuramu IMEEJI, miwaku no kajitsu

THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! Ikiterunda!

Yamerarenai, sono saki o mitai." Sakura begins to run pulling Benji that runs to keep up.

"Dotou no hibi wa tsuzuku, doko made mo

Tengoku to jigoku, yukitsu modoritsu

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Hashire, hashire, ai o te ni suru made

Sore de kurushimu nara nozomu tokoro

Shukufuku no toki ga kuru, te o nobashite."

Sakura forgot about the traffic and if Benji doesn't grab her and leap over a car to the other side of the street she would be hitten. But they continue to sing since Sakura doesn't noticed the event.

"Tohou ni kureta kinou ni sayonara

Futsufutsu to wakiagaru kono kimochi

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Omoide wa itsu mo amai nige basho

Dakedo tachi kire, asu o ikiru tame

Shukufuku no toki wa kuru, te o nobashite

Te o nobashite, ryoute agete!"

Sakura almost didn't notice the very smooth landing across the street of so excited over the feeling of emotional closeness with the taller brunette. She holds on his neck barely noticing that he is holding her only with his right arm. She began to consider how strong he is since the bag pack is heavy and she is not also all that light. But she let it go and began to sing when Benji began to sing the song again. With skillful moves Benji moves on Teito streets.

Soon the duo arrives on the theater gates. Benji puts Sakura down. She is almost as excited as a little girl on a sugar overdose. They get inside of the theater. "Now let's keep what happened on our trip a secret between us, okay?" Benji says to Sakura.

"Okay." Sakura replies nodding. They move to the Brazilian room and Sakura helps Benji to stash his goods before moving to the kitchen with ten cans of condensate milk. Sakura is still happily humming the song that they sang.

On the kitchen Benji checks if Kanna is doing anything important. Since she is between dishes Benji just pushes her out of the kitchen. "Hey I am cooking here mgjf….." Benji cuts Kanna protest shoving a two by one inch rectangle of Mariola on her mouth. Not only shutting her protest but also calming her.

Benji closes the kitchen door leaving Kanna on the dinning hall too busy chewing the unknown Brazilian candy. "Mmm…I should really complain of him shoving things on my mouth…" Kanna thinks taking a bite of the candy. "Mmm…well if he keeps shoving things like this on my mouth I can forgive him…"

Iris looks at Benji with a bit of surprise. Sakura is placing the cans on the balcony and picking few large pans. "What you two are doing? And why you two tossed Kanna-neechan out?" Iris asks.

"Because if I leave Kanna on the kitchen she would eat everything that I am going to fix before the party." Benji replies. "Help me too Iris?" Benji asks to the girl. She nods happily. "Okay! Now Sakura get the chocolate powder! Iris get me some butter! I will make a Brazilian candy called brigadeiro!" Benji says in a ordering but happy tone. The two girls nod at his commands and move to obey them. Benji opens the cans and heat one pan putting a small amount of butter on it. He puts three cans of the milk on the pan and mix well.

Sakura hands him the chocolate and Benji pours on the mix. Always mixing and not letting it boil. A very strong and sweet chocolate scent mixed with the condensate milk fills the kitchen making the girls mouth water. Outside the kitchen Kanna can feel it too. She bangs on the door asking to enter on it and have a taste of whatever Benji is cooking. The kazegumi also wants it. But control the urges. Maria is there too and also feels temptated by scent. But she doesn't show it.

Inside the kitchen Sakura and Iris watch with awe the thick dark liquid becoming more and more solid. Benji takes the pan from the fire and puts on a side, after putting down the fire. Sakura opens under his commands three more cans of milk and puts on a bowl. Benji places the almost done candy on a large bowl. And Benji separate few eggs whites. And adds on the bowl. And after toasting a bit peanuts and grinding most of them he adds to the mix and began to mix strongly.

"This one is called cajuzinho." Benji says to the two girls. "Want to see something funny?" Benji asks to them. The duo nods. Benji picks the now cold pan still dirty with a bit of the brigadeiro. And picks the large spoon that he used to mix it and walks to the door where Kanna continues to pound on it merciless. Benji opens the door only twisting the knob. Kanna stares at her lack of thought over the simplest idea of opening the door. Benji arm moves out of the door with the items and hands it to Kanna. She grab the pan and is about to say something. She decides only open her mouth and let Benji put the spoon on her mouth. She can tell that as soon she began to talk he would do it again.

And she is right. Benji puts the spoon on her mouth and chuckle seeing Kanna eyes shinning with the taste of the candy. She closes her mouth and began to lick the hardening candy from it. Benji move out and leave Kanna to enjoy herself. Iris and Sakura are holding back laughers. Both knew that Kanna knew that Benji wouldn't let her speak, so the red head gave up and let him feed her. And the duo saw the delight shining on the red head eyes.

Benji closes the door and moves back to the half ready candy. "Give her three minutes." Benji says to the duo that nods. Benji continues to mix the candy. "Now Sakura gather some grated coconut and strawberry gelatin." Benji says. The brunette obeys. "Iris hand me over that clothe." He adds pointing to a cloth over a chair. Iris obeys and Benji puts it over his right shoulder.

"Now the one that we will make now is called moranguinho. It is really good." Benji says picking another pan and pouring the canned milk. With them backs turned to the door they can't see Kanna slipping inside the kitchen to steal more of the candy. She reaches to the bowl filled with brigadeiro. Benji turns and whips her hand with the clothe.

"Ittteeeeeee!" Kanna shouts holding her wounded hand. "Bad Kanna. That is for the party." Benji scolds her half teasing. Kanna eyes are on the clothe that he is flicking. "Oh no…" Kanna thinks. Kanna runs and Benji runs after her whipping the air behind Kanna. "Stop moving and take the punishment as a good girl!" Benji says clearly on a teasing tone.

"No way!" Kanna shouts giving a small jump forward every time that she hears the cloth snapping the air few millimeters behind her rear end. Benji and Kanna give few laps around the kitchen before Kanna manages to leap out of the kitchen. Benji chases her out of the dinning hall. Maria and the kazegumi watch the event with awe.

Maria feels very temptated to stop the tall brunette. But the memory of the very painful sting of his cloth whipping on her ass is still a too fresh memory for the blonde. And she decides to let Kanna deal with it. Besides Benji is Kanna friend. He wouldn't whip her really badly now.

As soon Kanna leaves the dinning hall Benji stops the chase and puts the cloth over his left shoulder and walks back to the kitchen. The kazegumi chuckles at the funny scene. Especially since Benji was telling to Kanna stop moving and the red head was denying it. Benji picks the shining pan and spoon that Kanna so eagerly cleaned and move back to the kitchen. Sakura and Iris are laughing hard. Benji smiles at it. He knew that it would happen. That is why he chased Kanna like he did. Even Maria is hiding a smile. But the corners of her lips are slightly pointed upwards.

"Now let's finish this so we can mold them!" Benji says to his pair of assistants. They nod chuckling and they continue. After few minutes Kanna realized that is safe return and stays near of the kitchen door stalking the closed door in hope to steal some of the candies. After a while the door open and Benji shove a new spoon on Kanna mouth and gives her a new dirty pan. He closes the door and Kanna cleans the pan with eager.

"Can you let me try some?" Tsubaki asks shyly. "RRRRR…." Kanna growl her response to the much shorter girl. Scared Tsubaki hugs Kasumi. "She is scary…" she whispers seeking comfort on the older girl arms. Yuri holds back a chuckle at the scene, not wanting to hurt her friend feelings.

All them can hear the trio in the kitchen chatting and laughing while working. "Yane no ue de sora o aogu, hizashi wa uraraka. Miageru sora, karadajuu genki ga minagitteku." Sakura began to sing rather loudly while they make small balls with the hard brigadeiro "THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! Ikiterunda! Yamerarenai, akirameru da nante." Benji follows from where Sakura stopped.

Iris looks at them surprised. And the duo sings together.

"Tohou ni kureta kinou ni sayonara

Futsufutsu to wakiagaru kono kimochi

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Omoide wa itsu mo amai nige basho

Dakedo tachi kire, asu o ikiru tame

Shukufuku no toki wa kuru, te o nobashite."

Benji stops and let Sakura continue.

"Uruwashi no yawaraka na hada, imada te wa todokazu

Me o tojireba fukuramu IMEEJI, miwaku no kajitsu

THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! Ikiterunda!

Yamerarenai, sono saki o mitai."

Sakura stops and Benji continue.

"Dotou no hibi wa tsuzuku, doko made mo

Tengoku to jigoku, yukitsu modoritsu

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Hashire, hashire, ai o te ni suru made

Sore de kurushimu nara nozomu tokoro

Shukufuku no toki ga kuru, te o nobashite."

Outside the kitchen everyone hears the loud cheerful singing with out understanding the why of it. Iris looks confused to the two brunettes as they begin a duet again.

"Tohou ni kureta kinou ni sayonara

Futsufutsu to wakiagaru kono kimochi

Nando demo yomigaeru, hana o sakaseyou

Omoide wa itsu mo amai nige basho

Dakedo tachi kire, asu o ikiru tame

Shukufuku no toki wa kuru, te o nobashite

Te o nobashite, ryoute agete!"

Benji and Sakura stop singing and see the surprised and confused face of the young French girl. They chuckle softly. "Mou ikkai?" Benji asks looking at Sakura. The brunette girl nods. "Come on Iris-chan you too. You now know the lyrics." Sakura says. Recovering the girl nods with a smile and the trio began to sing again.

Yoneda and Ayame walk on the dinning hall and hear the loud cheerful singing on the kitchen. Maria arranging the bouquets with Tsubaki while Kasumi and Yuri finish to decorate the hall. And at last he sees Kanna busy cleaning the pan with the spoon eagerly eating the last bits of the candy.

"Oi why they are so happy in there?" Yoneda asks to Maria. "The mood there seems to be so light Ayame says with delight. "I don't know sir. First Sakura bean to sing. And then Benji followed and they sang in duet. And after the song was over they began again and Iris joined them." Maria explains answering the question of her superior officer.

"Benji sang!" Ayame asks clasping her hands together happy. Maria nods confirming. "That is so good! He was so moody lately!" Ayame says. Maria looks at Ayame not understanding. Ayame can hear Benji voice among Iris and Sakura. And they are sounding really happy. "That is so good Benji-kun." Ayame thinks.

"Still I never heard that song before." Maria says. "And it is in Japanese with a small line in English." Ayame looks at the blonde. "Well ask him. I am not sure if he will answer." Ayame replies.

About one hour later Benji, Iris and Sakura leave the kitchen each carrying two trays filled with the sweets. No one can see how they look since Benji covered them with cloths. He puts his trays on the table and move to the girls, plus Ayame and Yoneda.

"Okay now this is a teaser." Benji says handing to each of them a small parcel made of aluminium paper. "Hey why I didn't have any?" Kanna asks. "You have them when you cleaned the pots." Benji says to the red head. "That is not fair!" Kanna says pouting like a little girl. The kazegumi is eagerly eating the treats.

"I am teasing you." Benji says handing a parcel to Kanna too. But smaller than the others. Kanna is about to complain but she recalls that Benji is still holding her sweets and he might just shove on her mouth with paper and all. So she doesn't start. She picks the parcel. Benji picks his trays and leave with Iris and Sakura to stash the candies away so Kanna cannot steal them.

Kanna now munching happily the sweets doesn't notice the trio sneaking away. Maria looks at her parcel not sure if she really wants to eat them. In fact she wants but she doesn't want to accept that she is eager to eat something that Benji have made. Ayame looks at the her now open parcel seeing the three types of sweets there. The brigadeiro in small balls covered with powdered chocolate. The cajuzinho covered in sugar, shaped as a cashew with a roasted peanut as the nut. And the moranguinho covered with sugar and strawberry gelatin, shaped as an strawberry.

She picks the last one and tastes it. She smiles with flavor. "Well he sure knows that this will be the sensation of the party." She whispers munching the sweet. The others are chatting over it.

In the theater 20:38

Benji finishes arranging the last tray of sweets on the food table. That after chasing Kanna out of the dinning hall whipping her out with a bandana seven times. Still on his daily clothes Benji moves out of the hall locking it behind himself so the food will be secured from Kanna raids.

He moves to the shower room where he takes a quick shower to clean himself for the party. Moving to his bedroom he opens his closet seeking something to wear on the party. He recalls Ayame lecture that Sumire won't accept anyone underdressed. Even thought is a surprise party.

Benji takes out his daily clothes and tosses on a basket on a corner of the closet. His chocker is still on his neck and slight wet as his black hair. "Let me see." Benji whispers looking at his clothes on his fresh pair of blue boxers. He pulls a sleeveless tight blue silk undershirt and puts on. He lifts the chocker and pulls it over the shirt collar, making seem that the shirt collar is the chocker itself.

He shivers a bit not used to the touch of silk on his skin. But since silk is hard to cut he uses it. He takes a white social shirt and puts on closing it to the top button covering the chocker. He moves to his dresser and picks a comb and fixes his hair, which is disarrayed because drying it with the towel.

"Sore wa ai janai...

Ai wa sore janai...

Aishiteru kedo ai sarete wa inai..."

Benji sings while looking himself on a mirror while combing his hair.

"Kesshite ai janai...

Ketsu wa ai janai...

Aishiteru kedo motometari wa shinai..."

"Benji-kun…" Sakura who walked inside the room before Benji began to sing the second part of the song stares at him with a deep blush. "Huh? Sakura!" Benji says surprised by the sudden entrance of the girl on his bed room. Sakura stares at Benji half naked form. Moving down from his face to his well toned legs.

"Ketsu ai janai?" Sakura mutters before fainting with a nosebleed. "Sakura!" Benji cries for a second vanishing of the normal sight only to reappear holding the shorter brunette before she fall on the floor. Benji sees the blood lines running from her nose staining the sides of her face. Benji lays her on his bed and clean the blood before reaches her hair. After stuffing two tissues on her nose and lifting her head a bit so the blood will run less on the area Benji moves to the door closing it and move to his closet decided to put a pants on before Sakura wake up or someone else walks in.

He picks a pair of black social pants and puts on. He grabs a leather belt and put it on the pants. The belt has two extra bands on it forming one X on each of his sides. With small metal ring covered holes to clipping something. The lightly rough looking belt suits the tall man and makes a fine accessory.

He pulls a black leather vest with five small belts with dull metal buckles in the place of the buttons and puts it on closing it up the top. On the top has two buttons that where closed. And he pulls a black jacket and puts it on. It is short on his chest. Cutted in a style similar to a bullfighter jacket. The sleeves are lightly loose and fit perfectly across his chest.

He puts the vest and the shirt inside his pants and puts on a pair of stylish looking black leather boots. And cover the ankle long guard with his pants.

He fixes his air again now reaching a bit bellow the end of his neck. His fringe covers his forehead. Benji sigh considering about a bandana. But Sumire would kill him if he used one. He grabs his mask and pockets it just in case. Then he moves to Sakura and gently shakes her, calling to wake her from the faint.

"Uuhh…Benji-kun…I had this really odd dream…" Sakura says in a very funny voice since her nose is still stuffed with the tissues. "I walked in and you was saying something about sex and you was half naked." She adds with a deep blush.

"Well you did walk on me and that happened. You fainted." Benji tells her. Sakura blushes even more. "But how you are dressed now?" Sakura asks noticing her voice and the tissues. "You wanted to me wait for you wake half naked?" Benji asks teasing. "NO!" Sakura shouts.

"Me neither." Benji says. "Now why you came here and forgot to knock?" Sakura think a bit. "Ayame-san asked me to come here and pick up her lip-gloss that she forgot here." Sakura says. "But why she would forget it here?" she adds.

"Sakura with who Ayame passes most of her free time?" Benji asks "With you." Sakura replies. "Where she passes most of her free time and some of her working hours?" Benji asks her again. "In your room." Sakura replies. "So where would be the most logical place to her forget something around the theater?" Benji asks. "In your room." Sakura replies finally understanding why she was send there.

"She is still teaching you Kanjis so that is why she stays here so much. So it is natural that she forgets things here once and while." Benji nods at the brunette conclusion. "I am sorry for walking in with out knocking." Sakura apologizes. "It is okay. Just remember on knocking first. Just few instants earlier Sakura and you would get me only on my underclothes." Benji says. Sakura blush more and the tissues get even redder. Benji chuckles at it.

"Just go." Benji says handing to her the lip-gloss that was on his desk. Sakura nods and move away. Benji moves to his dresser and picks his belt clip where he carries his butterfly knife. Grabbing his metal baton that luckily he never used there. He walks away hiding the baton on his back under the vest where have a small cloth holster. Totally hidden by his clothes the baton just vanishes. Benji clips the clip on his waist and moves to the dinning hall.

In the dinning hall 20:57

Benji enters on the decorated room and sees Ayame fending off Kanna who is again trying to raid the sweets that Benji made. "WOW Benji-niichan kakkoii!" Iris shouts tackling/hugging the ninja by the waist. Iris is wearing a yellow night dress, the low collar shows part of the little girl shoulders. "You are looking good too Iris. Really pretty." Benji says to the little girl that for a change is with out her hair ribbon and her hair is down but neatly fixed. Jean-Paul is with a small tuxedo and a black tie.

Kanna is wearing a suit that Benji recognizes as her usual clothes in the second game of Sakura Wars. Maria is wearing a black suit instead of her usual black coat and red shirt. Sakura is with a formal red kimono with a light make up. Kohran is with a green Chinese party dress. The Sannin musume are wearing her going out clothes as Benji call the outfits that they always wear on the days offs that they get.

Ayame is wearing her uniform with just a touch of lip-gloss and a very light make up. "Nice outfit pal." Kanna says to Benji. "Thanks. Yours too." Benji replies to the red head. Yoneda is sited on a table drinking. And as Ayame he is also on his uniform. Benji is aware that they just arrived from a meeting. And he can tell that Ayame would prefer put a more comfortable outfit for the party. But in few minutes Sumire and Ogami will return of the shopping trip and Ayame as the others wants to see Sumire face when she walk in the hall.

And as if rehearsed Sumire bursts inside the hall with Ogami following close. The shout of surprise from the Teigeki members truly surprises Sumire who wasn't expecting that. Sumire is wearing a dress that Benji recognizes as the one that she used on the beginning of the OVA. Ogami looks tired. Benji doesn't have any idea but Ogami said that he and Sumire needed to found a special edition of book of the five rings. And that edition was not only limited but was sold days before. And Sumire is mad with him because of that.

Sumire mood seem to be improved a lot with the surprise. And the party goes well.

After about a half hour of party a telephone rings on the management office and Ayame moves to answer it. Ten minutes later Yoneda asks to Benji go see why she is taking so long. Benji obeys a bit worried about Ayame. Benji sees the door of Ayame office open. He stops walking all of sudden by the doorway and his eyes lost a bit of the light.

Ayame is still talking on the phone with her back turned to the door. And for few minutes it stays like that. She hangs out and Benji blinks shaking his head a bit as if to clear his mind.

;Tokimeki no Doukasen. Fushigi Yugi ending theme.;

"You heard it Benji-kun?" Ayame asks still with her back turned to the door. "Yeah." Benji replies rubbing his forehead with his right hand. "I thought that you isolated all the phones and radios of the theater."

"This is a new one. And I forgot sorry." Ayame says in an apologizing tone. "It is okay." Benji replies. "Sumire will be very angry and worried about this." Ayame says moving to the door. Benji blocks her path with his left arm. "There isn't need for telling her that." Benji says in a serious tone looking into Ayame eyes.

"Benji is her right to know. Her father is in there." Ayame replies. Benji is aware that she is serious she only calls him of Benji when she is very serious about something. "And the hanagumi needs to rescue him and all the other hostages. Also prevent the criminals of stealing the plans stored on that mansion. Move your arm."

Still Benji keeps his arm there. "They need to relax. They all worked hard for this party. And they are all stressed because I am here Ayame." Benji says to her in a serious tone. "If the stress continues to grow the team will break. Let them have fun tonight."

Ayame looks away from his gaze. "Benji, we can't just leave those criminals take the plans and kill everyone there. You have any idea of how they will feel when founding that they could have stopped that. But they were in a party." Ayame replies in a strangled voice.

"I never said that we would leave them alone." Benji says to her. "You can't!" Ayame almost shouts looking at him. "You haven't healed from your last battle! You can't fight!"

Benji smiles at her. "You know as well as I that tomorrow is the day when the doctor said that I could begin to fight and train again. So I am healed now." Benji says in a calm tone. "Besides it is an assault against many enemies. And you know that is my specialty. It was before I came here, it was before I trained and it is after my training. I am a ninja, Ayame. I can enter in that place with out being noticed. The others can't."

Ayame looks at her protégé. "You can't face that alone Benji." Ayame says worried in a pleading tone. "Yes I can. And you know that." Benji replies, he moves her left arm a bit and touches Ayame right cheek with his open palm. "In my birthday here you said that you trusted me and gave me a katana." Benji says gently caressing her cheek "Back then I wasn't trained in combat as I am now. Trust on me now as you trusted me then."

"I never stopped trusting on you Benji." Ayame replies weakly. "But you aren't in shape for combats…" Benji takes a step back and moves his left hand softly tracing her jaw line with the tips of his fingers before moving to her lips where he gently places his index finger.

"If anyone asks I left to run an errant for you. I will be back before Sumire blows the candles." Benji says softly. He moves away running leaving Ayame standing there shivering with his touch. "Ganbare Benji-kun." Ayame says in a low tone to the now empty halls. Benji is already on the theater garage on his motorcycle putting on his mask and black shades. He leaves the garage moving in a high speed by the streets of Teito with his long coat moving with the wind.

"Why they are taking so long?" Yoneda complains. "I send Benji after Ayame because she was taking too long." Sakura gives an uncomfortable smile. "I am sure that they will be here soon." Ogami says trying to relax the elder man. Ayame walks back in the dinning hall. "Where is Benji?" Kanna asks to Ayame. "He is running a small errant. My present for Sumire couldn't be delivered so they called me to tell and I asked to Benji go get it for me." Ayame says with a smile.

"He won't take long." She adds. Iris pouts because of it. Kanna now with her worries settled and her curiosity satisfied moves for her private piece of heave on earth and digs on the Brazilian sweets. Totally forgetting Benji warnings early on the party that eating too many of them would give her stomachache. Sumire nibbles on a brigadeiro unpleased by the fact that Benji left. After all it was her moment. But since he left so many tasty sweets behind Sumire can ignore his absence.

Iris moves to the sweets table and picks a cajuzinho to eat. And the little blonde does recall Benji previous warnings and taste well the sweets so she won't eat too many and get sick.

End of the chapter thirteen:

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I own the man in the dark, the robbed figure and the chained woman. As well Benji and Peçonha. Those are my original characters. Even thought the man in the dark is a small homage to a friend. I won't reveal his name for a while. But I have his permission for the man in the dark. The MF-1HD Guardian pistol it is a fictitious gun that I created and it belongs to me.

Japanese glossary:

The song that Benji, Sakura and Iris sang on the chapter is Love Hina opening theme. Sakura Saku. Or Cherry blossom blooming. This song was chosen by few reasons, I will name some of them. First, the song is a very happy one. Just the beat and the way that it is singed on the original version show it. The lyrics show that too. Second, it also speaks of memories and that you shouldn't live on them. As in the part of good by to the bewildered yesterday. Third, Love Hina was one of the first's animes that I saw in a group here in Vitória and I like that anime a lot. And the last reason that I will name, is because I recalled of the song when writing the scene. Here is the English translation.

On the roof, looking at the sky, the sun's light is warm and gentle

When I look at the sky my entire body is filled with energy

THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! I am living

I can't quit it! I can't give up

Good bye to the bewildered yesterday

My feelings are springing up

I can bring them up many times, let a flower blossom

Memories are sweet hiding places

Live to see another day

One day a blessing will come, Stretch out your hands

The sunlight that swims the sky over the roof is glorious

When I look up at the sky, happiness is filled throughout my body

THAT'S SO WONDERFUL! I am living

I can't quit it! I can't give up

Daily life is like an angry wave

A cycle of heaven and hell

I can bring it up many times, let a flower blossom

Run, run until you find love

If I was to suffer, let it continue

One day a blessing will come, Stretch out your hands

Good bye to the bewildered yesterday

My feelings are springing up

I can bring them up many times, let a flower blossom

Memories are sweet hiding places

Live to see another day

One day a blessing will come, Stretch out your hands

Stretch out your hands, Rise up both your hands!

Mou ikkai: Can be translated as 'One more time' or 'again'.

Sore wa ai janai...

Ai wa sore janai...

Aishiteru kedo ai sarete wa inai...

Kesshite ai janai...

Ketsu wa ai janai...

Aishiteru kedo motometari wa shinai...: It is the first two parts of the lyrics of Excel saga. Here is the translation. The part of sex is not love was translated in a different way. Ketsu can mean backside.

This is not love

Love is not this

I love, but I am not loved

By no means is this love

Sex isn't love

I love, but I do not seek love out

Kakkoii: It means literally cool. Can also be used as handsome.

Ganbare: It has many meanings as 'good luck', 'work hard', 'fight on' and the list goes on. The meaning here is good luck.

Portuguese glossary:

Leite: It means literally milk.

Moça: It means young girl, young lady or young maiden.

Mariola: It is a Brazilian candy made of bananas. Really good and filling.

Goiabada: It is a Brazilian candy made out of guavas. Tasty, especially when eaten with a traditional Brazilian cheese called 'minas'.

Doce de leite: Another Brazilian traditional candy. It is made of milk. It can be found as a thick paste or in solid forms. Really good.

Brigadeiro, cajuzinho and moranguinho: Three of the most popular Brazilian candies made on children parties. Really easy to make and very tasty.

Brigadeiro: Not only name of a candy but it means brigadier.

Cajuzinho: It means literally small cashew. Don't ask me why it is named like that since the candy tastes of peanut. But is usually shaped as a cashew.

Moranguinho: It means literally small strawberry. It is made of coconuts, strawberry gelatin powder and condensate milk. Really good.

OMAKES:

Kanna reaction to the first taste of condensate milk.

"MMmnnnn…..this is so good…." Benji purrs with pleasure. All the girls in the room taking out Iris shiver with the cat like purr and the raw pleasure on the voice and face of the tall man. "Benji what the hell is that stuff……" Benji cuts Kanna sentence by shoving on her open mouth a spoonful of the Leite Moça. "Hey don't go shoving things on other people mouths…." It was Kanna first thought. "Mmmnnn…so good….nevermind the shoving…Mmmmm" Kanna face shows a great pleasure as she sexily sucks the thick liquid from the spoon. A thin white yellowish line of the Leite moça run down her chin escaping from the corner of her lips. She let go the spoon when she cleaned it up from all the sweet tasting milk. She licks her lips and notices the line of milk there and cleans up with her index finger and licks it up.

"MMmnnnn….so tasty…give me more of it Benji…I don't care what it is... I want it…" Kanna says in a sexy and pleading tone, with a small blush tinting her cheeks. That makes all the hairs in the back of Benji neck stand on the ends. The others look at the Okinawan with surprise. The kazegumi stared the event with a major blush. Since both Benji and Kanna sounded and looked very sexy in a very short period of time.

"MMnnnn…I got a really naughty idea now…" Kanna whispers sexily to the ninja. "Let's get a room and play with that sweet thing…doing many naughty things…" she whispers the last part on his ear very slowly. Benji swallows hard and let Kanna pull him away.

Sakura walking on Benji.

"Benji-kun…" Sakura who walked inside the room before Benji began to sing the second part of the song stares at him with a deep blush. "Huh? Sakura!" Benji says surprised by the sudden entrance of the girl on his bed room. Sakura stares at Benji half naked form. Moving down from his face to his well toned legs.

"MMnnnn…" Sakura let out a tiny sigh seeing the half naked ninja. "Better build than Taisho…" she adds before charging at the ninja slamming the door behind her. "What! MMnnnnn…..." Benji shout before Sakura shuts him with a kiss taking him down while pressing her kimono clad body against his.

Author pos-story note:

If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.


	15. In the night

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter fourteen: In the night

;Tokimeki no Doukasen. Fushigi Yugi ending theme.;

"You heard it Benji-kun?" Ayame asks still with her back turned to the door. "Yeah." Benji replies rubbing his forehead with his right hand. "I thought that you isolated all the phones and radios of the theater."

"This is a new one. And I forgot sorry." Ayame says in an apologizing tone. "It is okay." Benji replies. "Sumire will be very angry and worried about this." Ayame says moving to the door. Benji blocks her path with his left arm. "There isn't need for telling her that." Benji says in a serious tone looking into Ayame eyes.

"Benji is her right to know. Her father is in there." Ayame replies. Benji is aware that she is serious she only calls him of Benji when she is very serious about something. "And the hanagumi needs to rescue him and all the other hostages. Also prevent the criminals of stealing the plans stored on that mansion. Move your arm."

Still Benji keeps his arm there. "They need to relax. They all worked hard for this party. And they are all stressed because I am here Ayame." Benji says to her in a serious tone. "If the stress continues to grow the team will break. Let them have fun tonight."

Ayame looks away from his gaze. "Benji, we can't just leave those criminals take the plans and kill everyone there. You have any idea of how they will feel when founding that they could have stopped that. But they were in a party." Ayame replies in a strangled voice.

"I never said that we would leave them alone." Benji says to her. "You can't!" Ayame almost shouts looking at him. "You haven't healed from your last battle! You can't fight!"

Benji smiles at her. "You know as well as I that tomorrow is the day when the doctor said that I could begin to fight and train again. So I am healed now." Benji says in a calm tone. "Besides it is an assault against many enemies. And you know that is my specialty. It was before I came here, it was before I trained and it is after my training. I am a ninja, Ayame. I can enter in that place with out being noticed. The others can't."

Ayame looks at her protégé. "You can't face that alone Benji." Ayame says worried in a pleading tone. "Yes I can. And you know that." Benji replies, he moves her left arm a bit and touches Ayame right cheek with his open palm. "In my birthday here you said that you trusted me and gave me a katana." Benji says gently caressing her cheek "Back then I wasn't trained in combat as I am now. Trust on me now as you trusted me then."

"I never stopped trusting on you Benji." Ayame replies weakly. "But you aren't in shape for combats…" Benji takes a step back and moves his left hand softly tracing her jaw line with the tips of his fingers before moving to her lips where he gently places his index finger.

"If anyone asks I left to run an errant for you. I will be back before Sumire blows the candles." Benji says softly. He moves away running leaving Ayame standing there shivering with his touch. "Ganbare Benji-kun." Ayame says in a low tone to the now empty halls. Benji is already on the theater garage on his motorcycle putting on his mask and black shades. He leaves the garage moving in a high speed by the streets of Teito with his long coat moving with the wind.

In the dinning hall 21:34

Iris walks to Ayame. "Ayame-neechan, Benji-niichan is taking too long to return." Iris says to the older woman. Ayame smiles a bit to the worried girl "He will be here soon. But he needs to pick up Sumire gift first. He will be back soon." Ayame says to the little girl trying to sound as much honest and carefree as she can.

"Give that back it is mine!" Kanna says to Sumire who grabbed a slight larger brigadeiro on the tray. "No it is not." Sumire counters before taking a bite on the sweet. "It is my birthday and the stray made them to my party. So they are mine to eat." Kanna fumes at the shorter girl. Not only because she just bitted the sweet. But because her new 'pet name' to Benji. But before Kanna can begin her ballistic comment or a slap on the shorter girl Maria stops Kanna.

"Sumire it is not nice call Benji-kun of names when he is not here to argue with you." Ayame says. "He never call you names when you are not around." Sumire blushes because she is being scolded on her birthday party. But she did understand her mistake.

In Kanzaki heavy industries secondary plant 21:37

Benji arrives on the complex seeing far on a distant corner a mansion and recalls that Shigeki told that it was the guest house for possible partners while they make deals and plans. Benji speeds up and sees a handful of members of the Tsukigumi trying to enter on the mansion perimeter unnoticed. He reaches a horizontal bar blocking the way and turns the bike sliding under the bar. On the motion he takes down two guards. Benji can see that they aren't from the tsukigumi and they fall over the bar, hitting it with the jaw. The sound of the bones breaking is heard. And they don't get up. Benji manages to make the bike get up again and continue speeding.

Kayama curses seeing the reckless way that the ninja invaded the mansion. Reckless but effective. Since the guards are out of cold and no one noticed the event. Kayama orders to his men remove those two and proceed with extra care. But he can't see the other ninja and order his men to hide in the shadows. Just in time to avoid being spotted by a couple of guards from one of the mansion windows.

Benji is inside a small garden depot near of the mansion. The motorcycle engine is not working and Benji is kneeled on the floor with his right hand finger tips touching the floor. His eyes are closed and he seen to be deep in thought.

In the theater dinning hall 21:55

Ayame is having a cup of sake sited a bit far from the celebrating members of the hanagumi. She let out a worried sigh before sipping the warm sake. Maria walks to the major and sits next to her. "Major I would like to ask you few questions." Maria says to Ayame.

"It can't wait until tomorrow?" Ayame asks. "It can ma'am but I would like to ask my questions with out him around." Maria replies. Then Ayame feeling show how right she was. Maria was going to question her about Benji. "Fine Maria. Go on." Ayame says just wanting to take her mind from her worries.

Maria nods to the major. "I got this question since we went to the Kanzaki heavy industries why bother on giving him firearms and even alter older ones to him when he will be fighting in a koubu?" Maria asks.

Ayame looks at the blonde. "Because Maria he won't be only fighting on a koubu." Ayame says "Or you haven't noticed that Benji training and combat skills would be wasted if he only fought in a koubu?"

Maria looks at Ayame. "You saw first handed in several occasions how he fights." Ayame adds. "But ma'am those kinds of situations aren't our way of combat." Maria says. "That is right." Ayame says after sipping her sake. "But can happen. And that isn't the only way of using Benji skills. I am sure that you know what a scout is Maria."

"It is a solider send ahead of the main army to do explore the terrain and found more about the enemy." Maria says. "Is an infiltration unit." Ayame nods. "And that is exactly Benji function in combat with out a koubu. Well also assassinations and spying. Benji also can track on different terrains. In other words Benji is a ninja. His job is also fight battles with out a koubu against enemies that might not be a wakiji or another demon from that size. So he needs equipment." Ayame explains to Maria.

"So for sake of better performance as a light unit it was ordered the construction of new weapons and the changes on existent ones for Benji use. I am sure that you can think in several ways of using a unit with Benji skills in combat Maria." Ayame adds to the blonde while filling her sake cup.

"I can." Maria replies understanding the reason of why arming him. "But ma'am you are waiting for have more enemies that is not the Kuronosukai?" Maria asks to Ayame worried. "Being ready for any kind of bad scenario is a common strategic thought. We never know if we might need to spy a suspicious location or fight in an area too small to fit the koubus." Ayame replies. Once again Maria understands the meaning of her line of thought.

"He won't be of any use if he can't even control his own spirit energy." Maria says icily. "I am sure that when your powers first woke Maria, you were also unable to proper control them. If I am not wrong only after you came here that you gained full control of them." Ayame fends off Maria attempt of a strike on Benji.

Maria nods weakly recalling of few bad incidents on her childhood caused by her powers. "Still Benji is getting the hang of them on each use and on every new day. Soon he will control them." Ayame adds. "By the way he got some interesting tricks."

"Tricks?" Maria asks curious. For more that she dislikes him she wants to know more about her rival. "Yes. During the training Benji found that sending small electric waves on the ground by his finger tips he can instinctively know what path to take on a building and the location of people there." Ayame tells to Maria, who ear with eager.

"He makes a mental map?" Maria asks. "He said that he couldn't explain it properly. But it was like a small feeling telling what path to take when he wants to reach to a certain place. Or something like that. And also have a general idea of how the building is arranged." Ayame replies. "He needs to stay focused to send the energy and the energy return giving him a quite accurate way to build a mental map as you said. But I think that to be like a map just after much training."

Maria stays in silence after hearing Ayame explanation of Benji's new trick.

In Kanzaki heavy industries secondary plant 21:55

Benji gets up and runs carefully by the mansion. "There is inside seventy people. Most of them are gathered on a large hall. Must be the others hostages. There is some scattered around the mansion and four on a separated room. There must be where Sumire father is." Benji thinks before slamming down a patrolling terrorist. The now unconscious man is tied up with his own belt and shirt and tossed by a window. Benji moves away deciding to clean the halls before releasing the hostages.

A scream fills the air of the cold halls. "Onna no koe!" Benji whispers racing to that direction. "Let me go!" another scream for the girl fills the air. And the sound of ripped clothes follows it. Benji reaches a boiler room and sees one of the terrorists trying to rip the lower part of a young woman kimono. Benji pulls the rod and slams on the back of the man skull still on his charge. Benji hears the sound of bones breaking and don't care. He stops and he is about to help the woman. But a thick dented chain wraps around his neck and pulls him up. "Fuck! Chris help me lifting this fucker! He weights a ton!" a second terrorist shouts to a third one. Benji tries to force himself down, holding the chain. But the third one joins on the chain and the duo manages to lift Benji from the ground. He tenses and squirms trying to break free.

In the theater dinning hall 21:57

Kanna walks to Ayame. "Ayame why Benji is taking so long?" Kanna asks "You send him to Yokohama to get the gift?" Ayame looks at the red head. "Well not that distant. But it is across the city Kanna. And since it is snowing Benji has to be careful." Ayame replies. Kanna looks to the other woman. "Well you are right. It would be really bad if he got an accident just to fetching a gift for the snake woman." Kanna says moving to the others.

"Ayame-san." Tsubaki says in a low tone for the major. "Yes Tsubaki?" Ayame replies. "Benji will be fine?" the short haired girl asks to the major surprise. "What you mean by that Tsubaki?" Ayame asks trying to sound natural. "Of course he will be fine. He is just going to pick up my gift for Sumire." She adds.

"Ayame-san I saw him leaving. And I can tell that he wasn't going to out to fetch something." Tsubaki replies. "I can tell that he was going out to fight." Ayame sighs. "And he is. Tsubaki don't tell the others about this. Benji is doing this so they all can relax and enjoy the party." Ayame says to the girl.

"I am not telling because he asked me." Tsubaki says "But Ayame-san does Benji actually have any chances of winning?" she asks worried. Ayame chuckle, to the surprise of the shorter girl. "If he has any chances? Tsubaki, I saw him fighting more than any of you. He doesn't have any chances." Ayame says and Tsubaki get worried. "Of losing to normal humans. Only if they where like the others that Benji would have trouble." Ayame adds.

Tsubaki looks at her. "He will finish that really quickly." Ayame says to reassure not only Tsubaki but herself.

In Kanzaki heavy industries secondary plant 21:58

"Fuck I got distracted!" Benji thinks swinging his body and kicking the duo. Then he slams both on a wall hard. The chain falls from his neck. There is a light bruise on his neck and his shirt collar was ripped. Benji take few breaths and look at the scared girl. "It is alright now. I am here to help you." Benji says to her. She nods weakly to him.

Benji calms the woman and moves away. But on the hall there is another terrorist. Benji dashes to him and hits him hard with his rod. But the saw off two piped shotgun that he was bearing goes off. The very loud shot goes off on the silent halls.

Benji grabs the gun of the unconscious man and puts on his coat and run away. Now going even faster to prevent any attacks to the hostages. On his path he takes down many of them before reaching the hall with the hostages and taking down the remaining few terrorists. Before moving to the separate room with the four people, that he assumes to be Sumire father and three more terrorists.

On the office where Benji is going a tall blonde man with occidental features looks at Shigeki. Sumire father is wearing a brown suit. And the blonde man is wearing a blue uniform from the American army. With a saber on his waist.

"I don't know what is going on but it is nothing that my men can't solve." The officer says. Shigeki stays quiet. Besides him there is a young blonde woman wearing a blue kimono. By the door there is another officer. But lower ranked than the first. And it is a shock when the door breaks behind him. Benji grabs the officer by the neck and slams his rod on his back.

The officer shakes strongly with many powerful volts of electricity running by his body. Benji tosses him to a corner and charges at the remaining officer. But he reacts and blocks the attack with his saber. Sparks flow from the clash of metal against metal.

"Not bad." The man says in a very bad Japanese. "For an inferior monkey. You can't beat my Toledo-Salamanca made of Damascus steel." Even with his bad Japanese his mocking and sneering tone is clear.

The outline of Benji challenging smile is easily seen by this thin mask. "You are very stupid." Benji replies pressing a small trigger on the rod handle. The man screams with pain as once again the rod unleashes electricity. Benji grabs the man neck with his left hand lifting the man easily he disarms him and the man stares in shock at Benji that is a couple of inches shorter than himself.

"Your first mistake was invading this factory. Your second mercenary was to think that in here has anyone inferior than you. And the third is using a blade made for honorable fighters, since you don't have any honor. Now it is time for you pay for them." Benji says in a menacing voice slamming the man neck on the edge of a table. The sickening sound of bones breaking is heard. The man can't even scream in pain as his body went limp.

"This won't kill you. But you are now a prisoner of your own flesh." Benji says releasing the man.

Shigeki and the girl look at him with shock. Benji only picks the saber and the sheath. "This sword will found a proper owner. Until then I will keep it." Benji says sheathing it. "Wait a second. You are the new member of the hanagumi right?" Shigeki asks to him. "I am. Thought I am not officially one yet." Benji replies looking at him.

"You were there." The girl says looking at him. Benji looks at her and she seems familiar but he can't place her anywhere on his memory. "You were the fighter on the New Year day on the shrine!" she says recognizing his hair style, eyes color and height. Now Benji recall of her. "Well…" he says not sure of what say.

"I think that I need to go." Benji says "Damn how I will explain this collar." Benji mutters feeling the ripped collar on his shirt. "Wait." The girl says moving to him. She removes a blue scarf and puts around his neck tying it loosely. "I think that this will do. And thank you for saving me on that day. And tonight too."

Benji is thankful that she can't see his blush since his back is turned to her. "It is my job." Benji replies. He looks at Shigeki. "Do you know what happen today?" Benji asks to him. Shigeki thinks a bit. "Sumire birthday." Benji says. Shigeki expression doesn't change. "You could at least show up in the party you know. She really misses you." Benji adds.

"I am busy. I have many things to do on my work." Shigeki replies. Benji moves to him and punch the older man who falls on the floor sited.

"While you work Sumire is growing. Right now she is spreading her wings and beginning to fly by herself. And you are missing it. One day you will see that she left your nest to never return because she made her own nest. And you will curse all the lost chances. Right now she has two nests to be in. Yours and the theater. And you know very well where she is more inclined to." Benji says to him. Shigeki stays in silence. And Benji leaves the room.

In the theater dinning hall 22:34

Sumire is angry pacing on the dinning hall. "He is taking too long!" she says angry. "That is it when he comes back I will beat him up."

Kanna is about to say something but stops. "Sumire calm down. Benji is on his way back by now." Ayame says. "Look first I didn't mind because he made those sweets. But he is taking too long. He must be doing something to not being here. He must probably on a…" Sumire sentence is cutted by a gloved hand over her mouth.

"You know if you say things like that next time I won't go." Benji says behind Sumire. "Benji-niichan!" Iris shouts hugging Benji waist. "Iris I was away only for one hour. It is not like I was gone for one month." Benji says to the little girl. "Benji-kun I think that you should let Sumire go. She is turning blue." Ayame says pointing to his left hand that is still covering Sumire mouth and nose cutting the air for the brown haired girl.

"I really need to let her go?" Benji asks. "Yes." Ayame replies. Benji move his hand a bit lower but he is still holding Sumire from behind hugging her neck. The Kanzaki heiress is too busy breathing to notice it.

"Well you sure took long to pick it up Benji-kun." Ayame says to him. "Well the traffic wasn't very good and it took a while there." Benji replies. "How long you will hold me like this you…you…"And Benji cuts her sentence again covering her mouth. "Well this way I can shut you up." Benji says in a teasing tone as Sumire voice is turned into muffled groans and Kanna laugh hard. Benji let her go this time.

"You!" Sumire shouts trying to hit him with a slap that Benji skillfully dodge. "You know if you keep doing this I will not give you the gift that Ayame asked me to get or the one that I bought for you." Benji says. Sumire has a pair of angry made tears on the corner of her eyes, but she stops her attacks.

"Fine I will stop." She says standing her hand to him so he can give her the gifts. Benji places a small velvet box on Sumire hand. "That is from Ayame." Benji says. "Mine I give you later if you behave."

Sumire is about to say something but she stays quiet. "By the way Benji why the scarf?" Kanna asks noticing the blue scarf on his neck. "You have any idea of how cold it is to ride a bike?" Benji asks to Kanna who understands why. And the party goes on. Benji is sited on a chair drinking a soda.

(So all went well?) Ayame asks to Benji in a heavily accented Portuguese. (Yes. Nothing to worry about. All the hostages are safe, the threat was contained. And the ocean boy is cleaning up.) Benji answers her. "That is good." Ayame says now in Japanese.

"Check this out Sakura." Kanna whispers to Sakura. The brunette looks curious to Kanna who pulls Benji butterfly knife from her pocket. She opens it and tosses hard against the ninja. Sakura stares in shock. Benji moves his right hand and with out looking his stops the knife on the air holding it only with his index finger and middle finger. Holding the razor sharp blade between then. He tosses the knife on the air grabbing it by the handle and closing it.

"You forgot it here earlier." Kanna says to him. "Thank you Kanna." Benji replies putting the now closed knife on his belt pocket. "Nice isn't?" Kanna asks to Sakura who is still shocked. "That was dangerous!" Sakura shouts to Kanna. "Come on Sakura I know him well. I knew that he was going to grab it." Kanna replies. And Sakura continues to scold Kanna.

Sakura, Maria, Sumire and Iris begin to sing Kore ga Revue on Kohran sound system. Ayame let go of her worried seeing Benji eating some of the sweets that he made. Kanna and Benji chat over few things as the party goes on. And most of the hanagumi and kazegumi got a swing on the microphone.

With a cat like smile Ayame looks at Benji who is now eating some sushi. "Benji-kun why you don't sing too?" she asks in a loud voice and in a very provocative tone. "Yeah! Benji-kun you can sing too!" Sakura backs Ayame up more because she enjoyed a lot singing with him during the afternoon. "Benji-niichan sings very well!" Iris shouts with the older duo.

"Yeah Benji why you don't sing for us?" Maria asks sneering. "He sings?" Sumire asks to Kasumi. "Yes. Very well." The older of the Sannin musume girls replies. "Yeah pall sing something from your home land for us!" Kanna says pulling Benji to the microphone. "I really have to?" Benji asks trying to escape.

"Yes!" All the girls taking out Sumire, Kohran and Maria shout at him. Seeing no way out Benji thinks a bit on a song that won't sound so odd for them. He types something on the machine and the beat begins. "I don't recall programming that." Kohran mutters.

And Benji begin to sing.

(Quem te ver passar assim por mim não sabe o que é sofrer

Ter que ver você assim sempre tão linda

Contemplar o sol do teu olhar perder você no ar

Na certeza de um amor me achar

um nada pois sem ter teu carinho eu me sinto sozinho

eu me afogo em solidão

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

Nunca acreditei na ilusão de ter você pra mim

Me atormenta a previsão do nosso destino

Eu passando o dia a te esperar você sem me notar

Quando tudo tiver fim, você vai estar com um cara

Um alguém sem carinho será sempre um espinho

dentro do meu coração

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

Sei que você já não quer o meu amor

sei que você já não gosta de mim

Eu sei que eu não sou quem você sempre sonhou

Mas vou reconquistar o seu amor todo pra mim

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia,Julia,Julia ou, ou ,ou

And Benji stop singing. The hanagumi looks at him a bit surprised. "Suke!" Iris shouts giving him her now trademark tackle hug. "Not bad." Sumire mutters. Maria stays in silence. "Well it was nice." Kanna says "But sadly I didn't understand one word of it."

Sakura and the others nod, because they also didn't understand it. And the party continues deep in the night.

In the theater Benji room 2:43 AM

Benji sigh tired removing his jacket and tossing over his chair. He repeats the process with his shirt and the scarf. "Why I have a feeling that I am forgetting something?" Benji asks to himself. Taking out his belt and placing on the chair Benji feels something on his pants pocket.

"Fuck…I forgot to give Sumire her gift." Benji says founding small box wrapped on gift paper. Benji leaves his room and moves to the brunette room. Benji knocks on Sumire room door. Few moments later Sumire on her sleeping clothes and a robe over them opens the door. "What you want?" Sumire asks. "It is late."

"I know." Benji replies. "Or you don't want your gift." Sumire sighs and stand her hand to him. "I forgot to give to you before." Benji says. "Thank you." She replies out of politeness. "Good night." Benji says walking away. "And you are welcome."

Sumire sees him moving back to his room. She wonders a bit about his lack of clothes on his top but ignores. But the sight of a white bandage on his left wrist makes her feel a bit down. She enters on her room and closes the door.

"Let me see what he bought." Sumire mutters unwrapping it. "Probably something cheap."

She sees a black velvet box and a small card. She places the card on her dresser and opens the box. She stares surprised to a silver ring. Carefully made, seeming to be made out from silver violets with long stews carefully twisted together and then glided forming a circle as the ring.

"Oh my God…" Sumire looks at the jewel impressed by the details and the small flowers, each with many petals carefully made forming the flowers. It was something very simple and beautiful. If made of real flowers the beauty of it wouldn't shocked so much the brunette, in the simplicity and innocence of it, but the simple fact that the metal was worked in such a way that it seemed to be made out from real flowers made the ring even more beautiful.

And Sumire tries the ring just to see that fits her ring finger perfectly. She puts the small box down and picks the card opening carefully the small envelope then pulling the card and reading the content of it.

"Happy birthday. I hope that you like the ring. It is also an apology for that incident with the towel few months ago." Sumire reads in loud the small message. She sighs and sits on the chair by her dresser.

"I don't get him at all." She mutters placing the card down. She looks at the ring. "An apology for that day. I guess that I own him one too." She looks to her mirror and sees the card from her father flowers carefully placed on the mirror edge.

"Mmm…" Sumire picks the card from the mirror and looks at it carefully. "No way!" she cries now picking Benji card and compares both. "I must be wrong…I have to be wrong…" she whispers looking at the flowers on a vase over the chest of drawers. She looks more carefully comparing the Kanjis of both cards.

"Benji send those…" she whispers seeing how similar the writing in both cards is. "How dare him make me think that it was Otou-sama who send me them." She whispers angrily. But when she gets up she thinks more about the card. "He never said who send it on the flower card. I assumed so. It is not his fault." She whispers, feeling glad of not keep her wrong assumption over the subject.

"But why he gave me those?" she looks at the flowers confused. She removes the ring placing on the box and resting both cards on her dresser. She lays on her bed confused over Benji actions.

End of the chapter fourteen.

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.

Japanese glossary:

Koe: It means voice.

OMAKES:

Kanna returning Benji knife.

"Check this out Sakura." Kanna whispers to Sakura. The brunette looks curious to Kanna who pulls Benji butterfly knife from her pocket. She opens it and tosses hard against the ninja. Sakura stares in shock. Benji sneezes moving forward and is totally oblivious to the flying knife that missed him by less than one inch.

"Shit!" Kanna says seeing the knife hitting Ayame on the neck. "You are so dead Kanna-san." Sakura says backing away scared. Maria pulls her revolver and Benji pulls his pistol. Both of them have an ice cold glare with devil like smirks. They are looking just the same.

"You have five seconds to be start running." Benji and Maria say as one. Benji pulls back the pistol slide reading it as Maria cock her revolver. Kanna runs even before they finished the sentence. And the very enraged duo gives chase to the red head as the others try to see if Ayame had luck and might live thru it. Gun shots and screams can be heard on the empty halls.

Benji arriving on the party after his job.

Sumire is angry pacing on the dinning hall. "He is taking too long!" she says angry. "That is it when he comes back I will beat him up."

Kanna is about to say something but stops. "Sumire calm down. Benji is on his way back by now." Ayame says. "Look first I didn't mind because he made those sweets. But he is taking too long. He must be doing something to not being here. He must probably on a…" Sumire sentence is cutted by a gloved hand over her mouth.

"You know if you say things like that next time I won't go." Benji says behind Sumire. "Benji-niichan!" Iris shouts hugging Benji waist. "Iris I was away only for one hour. It is not like I was gone for one month." Benji says to the little girl. "Benji-kun I think that you should let Sumire go. She is turning blue." Ayame says pointing to his left hand that is still covering Sumire mouth and nose cutting the air for the brown haired girl.

"I really need to let her go?" Benji asks. "Yes." Ayame replies. Benji move his hand a bit lower but he is still holding Sumire from behind hugging her neck. The Kanzaki heiress is too busy breathing to notice it.

"You…You…" Sumire try saying but she is shacking lightly. "If you dare to do that again you will…" and Benji silences her again. Sumire struggles with no success on escaping from his strong grip. "So you were saying?" Benji asks to Sumire after uncovering her mouth. She is really flustered and blushing. "If I did that again I would?" Benji asks.

Sumire turns around facing him and hug him tightly. "You would need to deal with a very aroused me." Sumire says before French kissing the ninja, who doesn't seem to be much bothered by it.

"Get a room!" Sakura says looking away blushing madly. "Good idea." Sumire says pulling Benji away by the scarf.

Lyrics (New section. Here I will translate the lyrics of the songs that might appear on the story.) The songs here translated might sound a bit off. Specially the ones that are translated from Portuguese. For those who don't know Portuguese has many words for a job or situation that can have a small change to be used by men or women. As professora and professor. Both mean teacher. But the first is used for women and the later for men. So please understand that I am doing my best to translate the songs keeping most of the meaning on the lyrics. But there are expressions and words that only have meaning in Portuguese.

Ana Julia. Song of the band Los Hermanos.

Who see you passing by me like this, doesn't know what suffering is.

Have to see you always like this so beautiful.

Gaze upon the sun of your eyes, lost you on the air.

On the certain of a love thinking of me

A nothing because with out your love I feel alone

I drown in loneliness.

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

I never believed on the illusion of having you for myself.

It tortures me the foresight of our destiny

I passing the day waiting for you and you not noticing me.

And when all is over you will be with a man

A somebody with no love, it will be always a torn

Inside my heart

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

I know that you don't want my love

I know that you don't like me

I know that I am not the one that you always dream about

But I will win your love all for me

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia

Oh Ana Julia,Julia,Julia ou, ou ,ou


	16. Practice time

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter fifteen: Practice time.

Teito January ninth 1923. In the imperial theater, Yoneda office 9:12

Yoneda and Ayame are reading the report from Kayama of the incident on the Kanzaki plant of the previous night. Yoneda sighs. "I don't know what is worse. The fact that Benji crippled all those terrorists or the fact that he doesn't kill." Yoneda says in a tired tone.

Ayame gives a bitter smile. She knows that it is her fault that Benji got an even stronger repulse on killing humans. Her only comfort is that it doesn't stop Benji from leaving them half dead or willing to be dead. Of course the fact that Benji primary mission as of any of the members of the hanagumi is to kill demons to protect the imperial city, so there isn't much problem in not killing humans.

"Fractured spine, broken vertebras, shattered jaws, nervous system damage…" Yoneda reads from the report. "What the hell he used against them?" Yoneda asks to Ayame more than sure that she knows.

"Well he calls it stun baton. It is a metal rod that has an inner battery and gives powerful electrical shocks. Can be deadly depending of the voltage used and the place where it hits." Ayame answers.

"Jeez…" Yoneda sigh. "Well at least were the criminals that got hurt. Taking out few bruises and minor wounds caused by them on the take over no civilian was hurt." Ayame nods at Yoneda new comment. "I need to praise Benji-kun later. He did an awesome job." Ayame thinks.

Meanwhile on the dinning hall

Kanna drags herself to her seat. "God why it hurts so much!" Kanna asks to the skies. The hanagumi sees the red head looking tired and faint. "I told you to not eat so many sweets or you would regret it today." Benji says placing a cup of water with baking soda in front of her.

"But they are so good!" she replies. "I know. Just wait that it will get much worse." Benji shots back. Kanna gulps down the bad tasting medicine. "It will get worse?" She asks a bit shyly "How worse?"

Benji leans forward so his mouth is near of Kanna right ear. He whispers something to the red head that makes her eyes go wide and she blush so much that her face is of the color of her hair. "Tell me that it is a joke Benji! Please tell me that you are kidding me!" Kanna shouts in a begging tone clinging on the ninja shirt. "Tell me that you are doing this to make me learn my lesson!"

"Sorry Kanna. But it is true. It is the cruel truth about those sweets." Benji says in a comforting tone passing one arm over the red head shoulders. "That is why I told you to not eat so much."

The remaining members of the hanagumi stare at each other not understanding what is happening. But by Kanna reaction they know that must be very bad. "Maybe if you have too many those sweets are poisonous." Kohran muses. "They are not poisonous." Benji says to them. "But if you have too many there is a price to pay."

"Oh god!" Kanna cries and run away from the dinning hall holding her stomach. "And what it is that?" Ogami says. "I won't tell. But trust me you don't want to know." Benji replies. "Trust me on this I won't tell because Kanna." He adds moving to the kitchen.

"For the first time I will take his word. I just don't want to know." Ogami says. The girls nod agreeing over that matter.

Teito January ninth 1923. In the imperial theater, in the training hall 10:53

Kanna walks inside the command room. "God! Kanna what happened to you!" Yoneda asks seeing the red head very pale, faint and tired. "I am paying for not hearing an advice." Kanna replies on a weak voice, taking a seat on a corner near of the door. Yoneda don't want to imagine what is happening to make Kanna like that.

"But sir why we are here?" Maria asks. "That is right. I was forgetting. Well today is Himura day that he was released to train. So he and Ayame will train. I thought that you guys would like to see him training. To know how he fights so you can rely on him in combat." Yoneda says to them.

"We have to?" Sumire asks. "If you don't want to watch is okay. It is only optional." Yoneda says. Sumire thinks a bit. And they see Ayame walking in the training room wearing a simple kimono and a hakama, a light armor covering her arms, chest and helmet covering her forehead, sides and back of her head, with a thin metal mesh covering her face. Ogami notices that she is holding two katanas.

Benji walks inside using his fighting clothes, the same that he used when he arrived after his training. And he is with a light chain mail over his chest and arms. He is with a helmet like Ayame plus his mask covering the lower half of his face. They notice that he is with his two combat knifes.

"Wait a second! You don't mean that they train with real weapons!" Sakura asks to Yoneda. "Well they do. But those are replicas of them real weapons. They are blunt. But still hurts quite badly." Yoneda says. "But that is not right!" Sakura says. "Well how do you think that Benji got so better so shortly?" Yoneda asks.

Sakura stays in silence. "His entire training was made on real situations with real weapons that can kill him. So if he wanted to live he needed to get better fast. That is why he improved so much that fast. Besides Ayame only know to teach kenjutsu with matches like that. She does give him advices here and there. But the main of her training real matches like that." Yoneda explains to them.

And on the training room Benji and Ayame trade greeting before beginning. Ayame unsheathes her swords and gets on a basic stance. Benji waits and Ayame charges him. A Benji block with his knifes the woman attacks. Sparks fly from the contact between the two sets of blades. Ayame keep pressing the attack against the taller man.

The hanagumi watches in shock the fierceness of her attack, contrasting greatly with her usual calm demeanor. Between attacks Benji packs a series of attacks of his own. Ayame blocks and parries the much fiercer attacks from her protégé. Not only using his knifes but Benji packs kicks and punches on the major.

Sparks flow from each contact revealing that under the fabric and leather has metal. If that hanagumi could see Ayame face they would see a small smile. Between a slight longer time between attacks Ayame breaks Benji combo and attacks him again.

The hanagumi watches the match with fascination. For all of them it is the very first time that Ayame ever fought in front of them. And Benji is going all out on her. Turning the heavy sparing into an amazing spectacle.

And the match comes to an impressive turn when seeing a hatch Ayame slams her right sword in Benji left wrist in the inner part. Even protected by his armor the blow gives the ninja a great deal of pain. Reacting to the massive pain with stunning fast moves Benji spins his right hand knife Benji slams it in Ayame chest. Following that blow more came from his left and right knives. And then Benji slams both knives at the same time into the major sending her flying into a wall behind her.

Then Benji realize his mistake and runs to Ayame side who just hitted hard the padded wall. The hanagumi also runs to the training room. Most of them are actually screaming at Benji because his attack. Benji sees the damage and removes Ayame chest plate. Under it has a light chain mail that Benji also removes quickly.

Ogami pushes Benji away and he checks Ayame with Maria help. The major is dizzy but waking. "Oh my God!" Sakura says in a gasp. She is pointing to the chest plate and the chain mail. Kanna, Sumire, the kazegumi and Kohran looks at the plate with shock. In every slash the edges are red hot and melting. And on the mail itself the chains links are melted together and smoking a strong scent of burned rubber.

"He slashed cleanly thru the armor!" Sakura exclaims seeing the damage closely. "But his knives were supposed to be blunt!" Kanna walks closer of Benji and picks the knives that are near him and exam them.

"Sakura he also melted the edge…" Kanna says seeing the also red hot metal. "Nine hits…not bad…your best Maiagare so far…thought the left hand slashes where weaker than the normal…" Ayame says sitting up. "Vice-commander you need to rest. We deal with his punishment." Maria says.

"Punishment for what Maria?" Ayame says "The entire reason of training him is make him develop his techniques. And I push him farther and harder than anyone to make him fire moves like that on me." Maria stares surprised.

"And I will keep pushing until he manages to use them with out being pushed that hard." Ayame adds. "I think that we could use a ten minutes break. You need to rest a bit and get a new armor. And I sure want to drink some water" Benji says to Ayame. "You are right. Be back in ten minutes." Ayame says. Benji nods and moves away from the training room.

"You are hurt Ayame?" Yoneda asks to her. "Not much. A bit sore on my back and backside. Well that not adding the bruises that I will sure have because of his slashes. Thankfully I did ask to be placed rubber between the mail and the armor. Other wise would be worse." Ayame says. "Still was a **shocking** experience."

Everyone could feel the emphasis on the word shocking. Kanna leaves the training room and she is followed closely by Sumire. They see Benji on the kitchen removing his left tekko and a glove that he is using under it. They see him placing a coffee pot on the over and turn on the fire while he rolls up his sleeve. After few minutes he picks the coffee pot with his right hand and a move close of a wall and places the back of his left hand on the wall. The duo can see blood running freely from the cut on his wrist now ripped open.

What followed shocked the duo. Benji presses the side of the overheated metal coffee pot over his wrist. And he presses hard. From the door Kanna and Sumire can hear his skin burning and feel the scent of the burning flesh. Oddly enough they don't see any reaction to the pain on Benji face or even a gasp of suppressed pain.

The duo races to him. Kanna pulls his right hand removing the pot from his wrist. And a thin layer of burned skin was ripped on the process. "What the hell you are doing!" Sumire asks shouting. "Nevermind! Kanna we need to cool this down!" Kanna nods and they move Benji to the sink and turn a faucet on letting the cold water run over his burn. "Benji what you was thinking!" Kanna asks. "I was closing this cut." Benji replies. "By the love of God. Benji there is other ways. And does that hurt?" the red head adds.

"You can't even imagine how much." Benji replies. The duo shivers with his reply. And more with the fact that he is still not showing signs of pain. "Why you did this?" Kanna asks. "Because I need to train and I don't need to bleed." Benji replies. "Ayame would understand if you told her. You a re still wounded." Sumire says. "She would call off the training."

"As far Ayame knows I am fully healed. Understand?" Benji says harshly. Both girls nod scared. Benji removes his hand from the duo grip and the water. He picks a white roll of bandages from his pocket and a small vial. He scoops a dark green paste from the vial and passes over his burn. Then he wraps the bandage over it. Placing the vial on his pocket and putting on his glove he moves to the door.

"Ayame must not know about this." Benji says clipping tightly the tekko locks firmly attaching it to his hand and arm. The duo nod not sure of how to proceed. They follow him to the training room where Ayame waits for him with her swords. Benji gets a new pair of knives and get ready to continue his training section with the hanagumi watching. And the fight began all over again.

"It is quite repetitive. When he presses the attack Ayame blocks and dodges most of them." Ogami says. "But you can see why she blocks some, dodge some or even take some blows?" Yoneda asks. "No." Ogami replies. "Well pay attention to Benji knives. And to Ayame." Yoneda says. And the entire hanagumi obeys. After a while Kanna gets up. "His knife sparked!" the red head shouts.

"That is right Kanna. And as you saw Ayame dodged that blow." Yoneda says. "But why?" Ogami asks. "Because the edge was charged with electricity. And metal conducts electricity. If she blocked she would get badly shocked." Yoneda adds. "Benji doesn't control his energy and the attacks come randomly and still strong. And Ayame knows that."

"So in order to stay fighting she avoid those blows." Sakura says understanding. Yoneda nods to the brunette. Ayame manages to disarm Benji. The ninja now fights with his fists. Between slashes Benji gives a spinning kick on Ayame chest. Then he continues the move by giving a side kick on her abdomen. He gives a low jump and packs another kick, a side spinning one into Ayame chest. Benji lands over his left hand and spins his body giving a double side kick on Ayame chest sending her flying into a wall again.

But during the action Benji forgot about his wrist and the pain of spinning his body over his hand makes him fall over his arm. Benji gets up slowly and walks to Ayame. "Can we call it a day already?" Benji asks standing his right hand to her. "I guess that we can." Ayame replies picking up his hand and getting back over her feet. "You missed the landing." Ayame says. "I got unbalanced." Benji replies. Ayame stays in silence. "I am going to take a shower." Benji says walking away. "Ayame you are hurt?" Kanna asks. "A bit bruised but well." Ayame replies. "Today went well." The hanagumi stares at her while she picks up her fallen swords.

Half hour later in the bathroom.

Ayame is sited on the tub savoring the feeling of the warm water on her sore body. "I was more out of my shape that I assumed." Ayame says "But this feels so good." She closes her eyes and sighs with delight. Hearing movement on the changing room she opens her eyes and sees the hanagumi girls entering on the bath room. One by one they enter on the large tub. And she notices that all the girls are wrapped in pink towels. Unlike herself who preferred to bath naked to relax even more. They chat over trivial things until Kohran can't hold it anymore seeing the bruises on Ayame chest.

"Why you train him like that?" the Chinese asks. "It is the only way that I can train someone. And it was the same way that I learned my fencing style. And it is the faster way to make him skilled enough to fight." Ayame explains to the Chinese genius. "A handful of bruises are a small price to pay for it."

"But they are more than a handful." Sakura points. All slashes that connected and all the unarmed attacks gave bruises to the older woman. And on her chest is easily seem the large bruises caused by Benji kicks. "Well they are nothing compared to what he gained in Iga." Ayame replies.

And the girls decide to drop the subject of the training.

In that night.

Kanna leaves the toilet room after the curfew. "I swear that I will not ever again eat so many candies when Benji tell me to not eat too many." She whispers. She moves to her room and stops seeing the door of Benji room opening. She hides in a corner and sees Kasumi leaving his room wearing a robe over her night clothes.

"Sorry to bother you so late." Kanna hears Benji saying from his room. "It is my pleasure to aid you. Besides I couldn't leave it like that." Kanna blushes with Kasumi reply. "Until the morning it will be all fine. Before the breakfast go to my room to take care of it."

Benji nods. "Okay. But be sure to be wake." The brunette adds. Kasumi nods and walks away to her room. Benji closes the door of his own room. Kanna begins to move to her room slowly trying to digest the information that she just acquired. "Shocking isn't it?" A female voice asks to Kanna.

The red head nods, before getting surprised and barely holding a scream. She sees Sumire on her sleeping kimono by her room door. "You saw it too?" Kanna asks recovering quickly. "I saw when she got in." Sumire replies. "They where there for more or less fifteen minutes."

The red head stays in silence. "What you will do about it?" Kanna asks. "I know if I told to Yoneda he would make a fuss over it." Sumire says plainly. "Tomorrow I will ask Kasumi about it. And you will go with me."

Kanna nods, even thought part of her don't want to know a larger part is really curious about it.

In the morning.

Kanna and Sumire go see Kasumi after the breakfast. The duo found Kasumi alone on the sannin musume office. "How I can help you?" Kasumi asks to the duo with a smile. "You can give us a reason to not tell the manager about your 'night activities' on the gaijin bedroom." Sumire says to Kasumi.

"You saw?" Kasumi asks. And Sumire and Kanna nods. Kasumi moves to pick a fine. "Those night activities aren't what you must be thinking." Kasumi says scanning thru the files. "Then what are they? And why all the secrecy?" Sumire asks. Kasumi sighs. "The secrecy is because Benji doesn't want to Ayame to found about his injuries that you two caused." Kasumi says making the duo tense up. "My activities with him are actually cleaning his wounds and dressing them."

She turns to them holding a file case. "After his return from Iga you two saw him with out a shirt?" Kasumi asks. "Of course not!" Sumire cries. "Well I have." Kasumi says. "It is a pity he is quite well build and handsome to be so scarred."

"Scarred?" Kanna asks. "Yes. His chest, abdomen and back are covered with scars. He said that Iris kiss after his Rai Bow made them smaller. Still they are many and all across his body. Even his arms are covered with them. I am sure that after that incident you didn't see them because of the blood." Kasumi answers.

Sumire and Kanna stay in silence. "And yesterday he cauterized his wrist. Now he will stay with a burn scar there for the rest of his life." Kasumi adds. "Sumire you know that in your birthday night Benji was fighting not going out for get Ayame gift?"

"No." Sumire answers. "Well he was rescuing people from criminals. He voluntaried himself to it so you and everyone else could enjoy the party. He opened his wrist that night. And during the party it bleed considerably." Kasumi says placing the file over her desk. "In that night I went to his room to sew the cut. Today he ripped the stitches and burned it closed."

"But why he is doing that?" Kanna asks. "Simple, the party he wanted everyone to relax and had fun. Today because Ayame. Mostly because others." Kasumi answers. "And you two feel comfortable to tell the manager about my night activities as you placed them Sumire. I don't mind." Kasumi moves to pick another file and Sumire and Kanna leave to digest the new acquired information.

"I AM NOT GOING!" the duo jump in shock hearing the very loud shout from Benji. They race to the dinning hall and see Benji holding on the door frame, meanwhile Ayame, and six tsukigumi members are pulling him by his legs. "It is just me or those lines on the floor where made by his nails?" Kanna asks to Sumire seeing eight parallels lines on the floor boards.

"Kanna help here!" Ayame says to the red head. Benji pulls himself to the door frame pulling the seven people that is holding on him. "What is going on?" Sumire asks. Ayame and the tsukigumi members pull Benji again. "He is supposed to pass by few performance and medical tests today." Ayame replies.

"That doctor is nuts! I am not going! I am fine and healthy!" Benji says gripping even tighter on the wood frame. "Corporal bring a crowbar and a can of oil!" Ayame orders to one of the tsukigumi members. "I admit that Doctor Tanaka has her weird habits but she is entirely professional." Ayame says.

"Force trying to take a sperm sample from a drugged man is not being professional!" Benji shoots back. "That also not saying about inappropriate use of female nurses and drugs!" Kanna and Sumire stare at the odd tug war. Most of the hanagumi is staring at the scene. Ogami and Maria are amused by it.

"Benji you need to take a medical check up!" Ayame says to him. "I am fine! And if was another doctor I would go!" Benji says back to her. In a desperate measure Benji let go of the door frame causing the group to fall back. And with the impact releasing him. And he gets up and run away. "BENJI GET BACK HERE!" Ayame shouts frustrated. Ogami and Maria seem to be disappointed with the results of the tug war.

"He will get back when hungry." Ayame mutters preparing a handful of plans to get her protégé. She gets up and orders the tsukigumi members to search him. She moves to her office to wait to the things cool down to catch him.

Teito January eleventh 1923. In the imperial theater, in the training room 10:04

Kanna is sited on the mats facing Benji. "It has been two days Benji. And Ayame is still chasing you. God you two are sure master and disciple. Both are hard headed and stubborn." Kanna says to the brunette that is lying on the mats. "Trust me Kanna you don't want to have a check up with that woman." Benji replies. "My last stay in the hospital was a living hell. You have no idea how hard was to hang in the ceilings with out using my hands."

Kanna looks confused but doesn't ask anything. "It is a good thing that I am adept of carrying all that you can. Or I would be in problems." Benji says picking a small piece of mariola on his pocket. "I still don't get how you can stay running away from Ayame in the theater." Kanna says.

"I just stay far from her range." Benji replies munching the candy. Kanna sighs, the master and disciple cat and mouse game is running for two days. And there is bets running over if he will get caught or not. Maria and Ogami are leading the going to be caught group. But the ninja is not an easy prey to the tsukigumi. Specially that he fights dirty and hides in places where they have no guts to search on. Like the overheated boiler room or the bathroom.

"Benji!" Ayame shouts entering on the training room. The ninja gets up on a leap and dashes to her. The major braces herself to a tackle. But Benji slides between her legs and run away thru the halls. Ayame get red of fury for letting him escape again. Kanna sighs foreseeing that the chase is not close of an end yet.

End of the chapter fifteen.

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.


	17. Dead grounds

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter sixteen: Dead grounds

Imperial theater.

With a collective groan the members of the Teigeki wake from an unpleasant sleep. Used to be abused by his trainers in Iga Benji recovers a bit faster than the others. He helps Ayame to get up. "How we ended here?" Kanna asks. The last thing that the red head recalls is being on her bed room getting ready to sleep. "I don't know." Benji replies, and one by one the entire Teigeki is standing.

"It is just me or everyone else is with a massive headache?" Sumire asks. And the all nod to say that they all have it. Sakura moves to open a window. She gasps with shock. "Mina!" Sakura cries making the entire hanagumi races to the windows. What they see isn't the usual streets of Teito. But a desolated wasteland with tall mountains and abyss as far the eye can reach.

"Ogami, Benji, Maria. You three go secure the theater grounds. Tsubaki, Kasumi, Yuri go seek for any radio signals and send a distress call. Everyone else go to the meeting room after securing your own rooms!" Yoneda orders to them. "Ryokai!" they all shout and run to do the ordered.

Half hour later, in the dinning hall.

"The entire underground base is vanished. No weapons were found. And we don't have a radio." Yoneda says recalling the reports from all them. "We have two thousand liters of water in our supply and food stocked for one and a half month." Ayame says. Yoneda stays quiet.

"I would like to ask permission to send Benji to scout around the perimeter for a limited time period. With luck he might found food, water or even a city." Ayame proposes to Yoneda. "Granted. Two days of scouting. We will spare food and water until he returns." Yoneda says. The hanagumi stays quiet. "Kohran you try to build a radio with parts from other radios and electronics that we have in our possession." The Chinese nods hearing the order from the elder man.

"Everyone else try to rest to save energy. Maria and Ogami will do patrols on the theater to ensure our safety." Yoneda adds and everyone else nods.

Two hours later, entrance of the theater

Benji is wearing his usual clothes and a bag pack. Ayame is stuffing some food and water there. "Here has two days of water and food. And it is in a normal size. Before you complain about the ration. You will need the food on the run." Ayame says to him. "While you are there I want you think over all this."

Benji nods. Ayame zips up the bag pack and Benji leaves. The hanagumi watch that from they rooms.

One week later, in the dinning hall.

The Teigeki is very tense, one week passed since Benji left to scout the surroundings. Even Sumire is not making any comments in fear of the consequences. Tsubaki races in the hall. "He arrived!" she shouts. The entire Teigeki knows who is. And behind Tsubaki come Yuri and Kasumi helping Benji to walk. He is covered in sweat and his boots are ragged and covered in dark stains. "Kanna-san fix him something to eat. Sakura-san bring him some water!" Kasumi says. The duo obeys. They stare state of the ninja. Benji is placed on a chair and he removes his boots. The members of the Teigeki shiver with the sight of Benji feet. Covered with bruises, cuts, blood and bubbles.

Then everyone knew why he was late. He scouted the entire week. Sakura arrive with a pail filled with water and Benji drink from it with eager. After eating a light meal everyone is waiting for his report.

"What you saw?" Yoneda asks. "Nothing." Benji replies. Everyone else feels all the hopes falling down. "There wasn't nothing else than stones out there. Not a single animal, plant or even track of animals. I climbed a peak and I saw around with a binocular and as far as I could see there was only abyss, peaks and stones." Benji continues. Kasumi is cleaning the wounds on his feet and dressing them with clean bandages.

After few minutes in silence Ayame looks at Yoneda. "What are our chances?" Ayame asks "As our survival expert what are our odds." Everyone looks at her. "You want me to sugar coat it or leave it raw?" Benji asks. "Leave it raw. On this time there isn't need to sugar coat it." Ayame replies.

Benji nods and take a deep breath. "About the water we can live more or less seven months by drinking sparsely and recycling the water supplies." Benji says to them. "What you mean by recycling the supplies?" Sakura asks. "I mean boiling and gathering the steam from any kind of corporal fluids that we gather after this meeting." Benji says. Sumire covers her mouth with her hand and fight the urge to throw up.

"After distillate it is plain water. And can be added to the supply. Part of food that isn't edible can be converted to fertilizer among excrement. That would make an attempt to turn the ground here fertile. But I doubt that it will work. Any crops that we might be able to raise wouldn't be ready to be eaten before our food supply is over." Benji continues. Most of them hear in silence to the ninja words.

"If we only eat the barely enough to make thru a day. One third of our needs the supply might last for four months on the tops. That if we salt the remaining meat, fish, pork and chicken. And make pickles out of the vegetables to them will last longer. Bread, cookies, snacks and others ready foods need to be eaten first before it goes bad. The canned goods might last longer but must be eaten before it goes bad too." Benji continues to explain to them what he where thinking during his scouting.

"Be honest how is our chances if we doesn't return until the four months that our food will last?" Yoneda asks to Benji. "Not good at all. One by one we all will die. During the following months the physically weaker ones like you Tsubaki and Iris will feel the starvation more than the others and one of you three will be the first to die of starvation." Benji says not happy at all to be delivering that news.

"In the worse case scenario Kanna, Maria and I will be the last ones. Maria probably the first of us to die. That five months from today. The rate of the deaths can be delayed. If since the first death the survivors eat and storage the flesh from the deceased ones. It would give two or three more months to the survivors." Everyone is shocked beyond words with Benji final statement. With Kasumi help he gets up and moves to his room.

"What make him such an expert in that?" Maria asks disgusted with the report. "Previous experience in farming, massive survival training by ninjas. To name some." Ayame replies. "That is final Benji?" she asks to him. "Yes. If we don't go back or are rescued we will all die here." Benji replies moving away. They all stay in silence to let the words from the ninja sink in. Iris is clearly holding back tears and fear. Ayame is comforting her. But they all know that he is right.

Meanwhile Kasumi is helping Benji to get on his room. "You really meant those words didn't you?" Kasumi asks. "Sadly Kasumi I did." Benji replies. "You would actually eat one of us if the person died?" she asks. "I would not like. But I will live as long as I can. If we are found and one of us is still alive people will know what happened. And the others won't be forgotten. With luck the survivors might become strong again to defend the city." Benji says. Kasumi stays quiet.

In his room Benji lies on his bed and Kasumi leaves. "By the way Benji-kun. If I died I wouldn't mind in be used as food by you and the others if that meant a chance for them live to protect Teito." Kasumi says. Before he can reply she leaves the room so he can rest. She returns to the dinning hall and see all the others there as they was when she left. The expression on them faces was easily showing the worries and the fears in them.

"I took him into his room he must be resting now." Kasumi says to them. "Thank you Kasumi." Ayame says. Kasumi sits on her usual seat. "What we will do now?" Kasumi asks. "To be honest Kasumi what Benji told me reflected my own idea of what would happen if we stayed here for long and wasn't rescued. With no resources his previsions are exact that will happen." Ayame answers.

"Today we will begin the process of salting the meat and making pickles with all the vegetables. We can make conserves of the fruits. Everything else will be consumed in a reasonable rate considering the time to spoil." Yoneda says. They nod confirming, Ayame, Maria, Kanna, Kasumi and Tsubaki move to the kitchen to prepare everything.

"Ogami I want you to take few seeds from fruits and some soil and see if is possible to grow something. Also use some rice and beans." Yoneda says. "Understood." Ogami replies. "You can help him too Iris." Yoneda says. Iris nods feeling a bit better in trying to prevent them all from starving. "Kohran, you can keep trying to fix the radio. But now focus on making a machine

Two days later

Benji walks to the library in a slow pace. His feet are covered with bandages and he is using rubber soles sandals. In the library Benji picks up two books before moving back to his room. "Oi you weren't supposed to be standing yet." Kanna says to him. "I was bored to the death. I really needed to get something to read." Benji replies. "And that changes something?" Kanna asks teasing.

"A lot. Maybe I should introduce you to the habit of reading. A good story can take you to wonderful places." Benji answers her. His serious tone makes Kanna blush. "Jeez I was kidding Benji." Kanna says. "I know. But I wasn't. You should try getting something to read. Since you can't work out to pass the time. You know you might like it." Benji says.

"Well I don't know. But if I am too bored I will pop by you room and you get me a good book." Kanna says escorting the ninja to his bedroom.

In his office Yoneda and Ayame discuss the situation. "Things aren't looking good. Our food supply is small and there isn't a chance of refilling it." Ayame says. "I am aware of that. I still can't understand how we ended here." Yoneda says. "It is unimportant now we need to go back."

Ayame nods. "But there isn't tools for Kohran work with. She barely had enough tools and material from her room to build a distiller to enhance our water supply." Ayame says. "I am not sure if she can build something to take us back."

"I am aware of that. But we can't lose hope." Yoneda replies. Ayame nods.

Three days later

Kanna is walking by Ayame office. She stops hearing voices. "I don't get it at all Ayame. My eyes are still blue. They aren't supposed to be blue. Here I don't have any energy as everyone else." Benji says to Ayame. "Look Benji I don't know. As you I thought that the change was caused by your energy. I can't explain that." Ayame replies.

"What is going on?" Kanna thinks considering if she should spy on them or not. "Benji now isn't the time to discuss that. I got a very bad feeling about this place. And I mean really bad. Something really dread might happen." Ayame says. Kanna decides to not hear. It might break the remaining cheerfulness that she has. "Twelve days already…" Kanna whispers moving away.

Day twenty nine

On the dinning hall the Teigeki is having a meting. Everyone shows the sings of the lack of food. Everyone is thinner. Benji, Kanna and Maria are the ones showing less the signs of it since the trio have the larger corporal mass of the group. On Kanna and Maria can be seen that they are thinner. Benji in other hand seems normal. "Well Kohran finished her distiller and is working on the radio. So far it is good." Yoneda says trying to cheer them.

The level of excitement isn't high but is higher than before. After finishing the meeting they are dismissed. Benji moves to the entrance and stays on the outer side of the doors facing the wasteland in front of the theater. Unaware that Tsubaki and Kasumi are watching him from a window.

Benji looks up to the dark clouded sky. He long learned there how to read the clouds to predict storms. Since they are too frequent to Sakura taste. But it provides them with more fresh water. Hearing an unnatural sound Benji leaps out from his seat on the theater front stairs. A how hits hard the place where he was.

And an inhuman scream fills the air as another one tries to hit Benji. The ninja sees five people dressed on ragged kimonos and carrying hoes. "Kill the gatekeeper!" one of them shouts. "Let's feast on his corpse!" another one adds. Benji races to a window and smashes it. Arming himself with two knife likes glass shards Benji retaliate the attacks.

Inside the theater Tsubaki races to warn the others. And Kasumi keeps watching the combat. She covers her mouth with both hands seeing Benji slashing open the stomach of one of them. The man falls holding his insides as they leak out from him. Benji slashes vertically another one cutting up his stomach with a side slash with his left hand. Blood gushes in the air with each blow from the ninja.

The hanagumi slams open the door and gasp with shock. Ten meters in front of the stairs is Benji standing in the middle of seven people. Five men who first attacked him and two women that joined later. Benji grip on his glass blades are tight. Blood drips from the blades and his clenched hands. His entire form is covered with blood.

A lightning falls behind him and a thunder roars preceding a new storm. Ayame walks to Benji. No one stops her. "It is over now Benji." She says gently to him. "They are dead already."

"I know that Ayame. And I killed them." Benji replies tossing the blades on the ground. He moves to the theater as the heavy rain began to pour. The blood is partially washed from him as he moves to theater. The earth drinks the blood and the water. Benji passes by the hanagumi that moves away from him.

Ayame picks a hoe and looks at the hanagumi. "Kanna give me a help to burying them." Ayame says. "Sure." Kanna says moving to Ayame. Ogami and Maria move to help in silence. And during the gloomy work of burying those people no one trade a word. The others watch in silence taking out Sakura that ran to her room when the storm began.

Kasumi moves to Benji room and sees the ninja sited on a corner. His wet form making a pool around him. With blood dripping from his hands. She places a large first aid kit near him and takes his right hand. She can easily see a long and thin glass shard buried deep into his hand. From between his index and middle finger until leaving on the back of his hand three centimeters from where it entered. And there is many more there. And a large cut on his palm and five smaller ones on his fingers from holding the naked glass shard. She carefully removes all the shards and cleans his wounded hands.

"You shouldn't worry about me." Benji whispers to her. "Yes I need. You saved us all by killing them. I heard what they said and if you haven't stopped them, they would kill us until someone did." Kasumi replies and Benji remains in silence. With a gently care she dresses his wounds and move to leave the room.

"Even that you might think badly about yourself I want you to know that I am very thankful because you did what you did. And that in my eyes you are a hero." Kasumi says before leaving the dark room.

After burring the attackers, Kanna, Ayame, Ogami and Maria return to the theater. They move to they own rooms to change clothes. After it they move to the dinning hall. "I already patched him up." Kasumi says to Ayame. The major acknowledges the information. "I am assuming that he locked himself on his room, am I right?" Ayame asks. "He didn't lock the door. But he is there. Sitting alone in the dark." Kasumi replies. "I think that for the moment it is better leaving him alone."

Ayame nods. "Mind in explain why he did that?" Maria asks. "Those people attacked him all out of the blue. He fought back." Kasumi replies. "And he killed them." Ayame sits down not wanting to let Benji sink on the despair again. But she is aware that he needs sometime to cool off.

On the dinner time ;Evanescence, Haunted;

Ayame picks a tray with Benji's share of food and moves to his room. Kanna tags along. "Look Kanna, I know that you want to help him." Ayame says to the red head. "But this is a very delicate situation. Benji is quite shaken with the fact that he killed."

"You are telling me that I am not delicate?" Kanna asks slightly angry. "No." Ayame answers. "But Benji state is very, very troublesome. I already passed by this with him. Less people around him better."

Kanna is about to say something but decides not to do so. Ayame wouldn't say that if she didn't mean it. "I will tell him that you are worried as well everyone else." Ayame says. Kanna nods and stops walking.

After a while Ayame returns to the dinning hall looking very down. Maria sees Ayame state. "Why he is like that? It is not like he hasn't killed anyone before. And even he never did he got pretty close. Why he is so depressed about?" Maria asks. Ayame stays quiet and no one else knows how to answer that. A heavy silence fills the room.

"The reason that he is like that is me. It is my fault that he has this trauma. His current state is my fault and mine alone." Ayame says in an emotionless voice. Her words shock Maria who wasn't expecting them. "Why you say that?" Kanna asks in a soft and scared tone. She as many of the others isn't sure if they want to know.

"You all saw the Iga assault." Ayame says. "Yes we did. You prepared a training section that it was consisted of him breaking in the castle killing everyone on the path." Ogami replies. Ayame burst in a dark laughter that sends shivers to everyone in the room. Tears well on her eyes. The others don't know if she crying because the laughter is one from hearing something funny or of sadness.

Ayame stop laughing. "That was so wrong Ogami-kun." Ayame says wiping the tears from her eyes. "The truth is that as I said before to you all. That raid was covered by a lie. He thought that I was a hostage and that they were enemies. He was trying to save me from an inexistent threat, he went all out risking his life and going against things that he learned since a child to rescue me from nothing."

Ayame makes a pause letting her words sink in. "His actions, wounds and spirit were rendered meaningless because the single fact that he acted over a lie. He was willing to kill and die in order to save me. After founding that it was all a lie Benji trust on me was broken. His spirit destroyed and the trauma took place." She continues coldly. "That is why Benji is taking this so badly. It is my fault and mine alone." Everyone stays in silence after hearing Ayame words.

Day thirty four

Ayame walks inside Benji room and sees the ninja sited on the same spot. She kneels in front of him. "Please Benji. Don't sink there again." Ayame pleads to him. "I was barely able to pull you up from that pit in Iga. I don't know I can do it again." She gently holds his face making him look up. "You are not like this. You are not a man who let depression take over you." Ayame voice is filled with worry and care.

"I know that you are suffering because of what you did. But if you haven't done that everyone could be dead." She doesn't see a reaction on the ninja. She softly lays a kiss on his forehead. "Return to your normal self. Leave this darkness and despair behind you. Everyone including me is waiting for you." Ayame says before leaving the ninja alone again.

By the lunch Ogami is taking a walk around the theater with Iris near him. Both of them look down. The small area where they are trying to grown some seeds haven't showed any sign of development.

;Linkin park By myself;

All of sudden the duo is surprised with a loud war cry. They look behind and see a large group of men wearing ragged kimonos holding hoes and scythes less than ten meters away from them. Ogami grabs Iris and runs to the theater.

Inside the theater the hanagumi heard the shouts. Kanna who was helping Ayame to cook runs to the entry forgetting that she is with a knife on her hand. All of sudden a large black form falls in front of her and takes the knife from her hand. Unbalanced Kanna falls on the floor while the form is leaving the theater.

"What the hell what that!" Kanna asks surprised getting herself back on her feet. "That was Benji." Ayame replies. Ogami sees Benji passing by his side charging to the attackers. With a swift movement Benji slashes the first of the attackers with the long sushi knife. And with out a sound the man falls on the ground cutted in two with a horizontal cut on his chest. Blood gushes from the corpse.

Benji easily sidestep a attack from a scythe easily slashing the attacker arm off on the shoulder height. He falls screaming in pain while his blood soaks the dry ground. With a light upper torso movement Benji avoids being hit by a hoe. The ninja counters by slashing off the head of the attacker. Within minutes the fight is over.

A less brave attacker tries to run away from the death by Benji hands. Benji tossed the knife on the air grabbing it by the tip of the blade and tosses it hard against the running man. With a dull thud the knife blade buries deep on the man neck. He falls down dead. Benji walks to him and pulls the knife from the corpse.

Benji returns to the theater. By the door the Teigeki is there. Benji flicks his wrist cleaning the knife. He hands it to Kanna. As most of the Teigeki she is surprised with the event. "We need to get rid of those corpses." Ayame says. "I am going to toss them by the cliff on the back of the theater." Benji replies. "I just need some rope to tie them so I only will make one trip." Ayame nods to him.

He enters on the theater. "What happened to him? He is totally different from five days ago." Sumire asks. "He got over it." Ayame replies sounding relieved. One hour later Benji is cleaning himself after returning from dumping the corpses. On the dinning hall Sakura is looking at the knife that Benji used to kill the attackers. It now has few dents from cutting thru bones.

The knife was washed, but the handle still has blood on it. The wood absorbed it. The others are sited on they usual spots waiting. Ayame and Yoneda are thoughtful. Two attacks in less than one week made the two very worried with what may come. And the fact that they aren't alone in the wasteland makes them more uneasy.

After all both of the two groups were very hostile over them. And even if they weren't the theater food supply would last even less with more mouths to feed. And if there are more of them out there and the Teigeki refuse to share the food, there will be a war over the food supply of the theater. Ayame is sure that Benji already figured the same already. Otherwise he wouldn't be so depressed.

She is also know that if that comes to true they can't give up or allow them to steal the food supply. It is the only chance of the Teigeki members return to Teito and protect the city.

Later in that night

Once again there is a major storm falling over the wasteland. Lightnings lithe the skies while thunders echoes on the land. With the possibility of a new attack Ayame stays guarding the theater. She is by a window looking out for the large empty space in front of the theater.

A sharp scream is heard between two thunders. Ayame searches on the space for the source of the scream. She sees on the distance a girl in a ripped kimono half tied running to the theater. Ayame races thru the halls. "Benji! Attack!" she shouts on the dorms hall. Her loud scream wakes all the Teigeki members. Benji opens his room door wearing his loose sleeping pants and a t-shirt. His hair is messed up by the sleep. But he races to catch up with Ayame who is moving to the stairs.

The others follow the ninja putting on robes over them sleeping clothes. Halfway to the entry Ayame tosses to Benji the knife that he used on the previous attack. The ninja grabs it. Ayame opens the door and Benji races to the open door. "There is a girl being chased by about ten men! They are about two hundred meters from here! Go straight ahead!" Ayame shouts to Benji that just passed by the door.

He races barefooted on the now muddy ground. Ayame runs after him. But since Benji legs are longer and he is faster he got distance from her. The others look from the entrance as Benji passes by the girl running to the men. Ayame reaches the girl and helps her to run to the theater.

A lightning falls dangerously close of them. Sakura cringes with it. Benji reaches the group of men. And slashes open the chest of the closer one of him. Before the corpse can fall on the mud Benji is already attacking the next one. Soon it is over Benji races back to the theater where the others wait for him. But before entering Kasumi makes Benji washes his feet to not smear mud on the theater floor.

After doing it Benji and the others moves to the dinning hall. Ayame is with the young woman there. She is Japanese and is wearing a ripped and dirty kimono. Tsubaki walks in with a tray with some quickly made food, that the girl eats with eager and hunger. After a quick questioning they found that she was part of a small group that was attacked by those men and that she was held to be raped and eaten when they finished with the others of her group.

Everyone looks disgusted with the men who attacked her. And for the first time in the lives of most of them they were happy that the men were killed. Ayame assured that on the theater she will be safe. Yuri and Tsubaki take the girl to an empty bedroom and give to her some used clothes.

Yoneda, Ayame, Ogami, Maria and Benji moves to Yoneda office. "From what she told it seems that Benji killed the entire group that assaulted her." Yoneda says to them. "But it would be unwise to assume that he did. For all that we know that group could be a scout group from a much larger one."

The others nod agreeing. "It seems to be much of a coincidence that three different groups attacked us in a short while and then this. They must be linked." Ayame says. "But then how he missed them?" Ogami asks pointing to Benji. "By the way that the look and from the scythes and hoes they seem to be here for a while."

"I am only a man. And out there is pretty vast. Over the area that I searched I found no tracks or signs of life." Benji replies. "It is impossible to be fully sure that there aren't more people out there. And they could be hiding from him." Ayame says backing up Benji. "This isn't important now. Right now we need to consider what to do." Yoneda says. "So far they have been aggressive and dangerous. If there are more of them out there I think that we need to think over a plan."

They all nod agreeing. "I think that it would be wise to do that." Benji says. "But in the morning. It is late and because of the lack of food we are all tired. We need to rest to be in a better shape to think over a proper strategy." Yoneda nods agreeing. "Indeed. Lock up everything and do a last round around the theater. The three of you to end it quicker." Yoneda says. They salute him and leave.

"You think that it is wise to trust in that Sadako girl?" Yoneda asks to Ayame. "I believe that would hurt to be cautious around her." Ayame replies.

Day thirty five

The theater is filled with a heavy air. Everyone is tense over the events. Benji had returned from his job of tossing the corpses off the cliff. He places eleven scythes over a table in the dinning hall. Kasumi and Tsubaki enters on the hall, the older girl are carrying hoes and the shorter scythes and hoes. The tools that the attackers had.

They place near of the others. Benji quickly counts the tools. Thirteen scythes and seventeen hoes." Benji mutters reaching the total of tools. "But all of them are rusty and dented." Kasumi says. Benji nods agreeing. He is aware that the greater danger of those weapons is the fact that if you survived the attack you will get tetanus, from the rust on the blades.

"It is a good thing that I took a tetanus shot three years ago." Benji thinks recalling that the shot is works for ten years. "Tsubaki see if Kohran has a metal file to borrow." Benji says to the much shorter girl, who nods and moves away. "I guess that if we sharp them enough we can use. The scythes as they are and the hoes can be turned into axes." Benji says to Kasumi.

"We can try." Kasumi replies. "But I am not sure if the others will fight against humans." Benji nods understanding. "Maria I know that she will fight as she can. She already did once. The others it is up to them. Yoneda and Ayame won't force them." Benji replies. "Just you against them won't be a good fight. Even with Maria helping." Kasumi says.

Benji sigh. "I am aware of that. But my experience is from fights against many enemies. So I have experience on this. I talked to Kohran if she can build something close of a rifle or a revolver for Maria using coils to fire projectiles. She is trying." Benji says picking one of the scythes.

Kasumi sighs at his response. "You know being your untrained, half period particular nurse I must say that with you as patient I won't run out of work." Kasumi says in a desolated tone. Benji gives a small comforting smile to her. "At least you don't get bored." Benji replies teasing. Kasumi smiles with his attempt of joke.

Taking an advice from an early morning meeting Kanna, Ogami and Maria are nailing shut all the windows of the first floor and barricading the back door of the theater. Sakura, Sumire and Ayame are emptying the rooms of the front side of the first floor of the theater giving room to combats there if it is needed.

Earlier on that morning

Yoneda, Ayame, Benji, Maria and Ogami are in Yoneda office. "I think that it is better be safe than sorry. I say that we should shut the windows and the back door of the theater first floor. In that way if there are more enemies out there they can't sneak in." Benji says to them. "There are too many ways to enter on the theater and too few people to guard it."

Ayame nods. Ogami and Maria agree with him for a change. "I believe that would be wise open room on the entrance and on the closer rooms so if we come to fight them we have room for it." Maria says.

"I think that we should actually crowd the entrance." Benji replies. "And why you think like that?" Maria asks coldly. "I am thinking on the worse case scenario here. What happens if have about five hundred of them out there?" Benji asks "In an open space combat we will be outnumbered and overpowered. In small rooms and filled with obstacles they will have trouble to moving and that will allow us to attack freely." Benji answers not letting Maria do so.

Maria thinks over his scenario. "You have a strong point I admit that." Maria says. "It is better that we leave the entrance open and place obstacles on the halls and rooms around it." Yoneda gives a midterm between both ideas. "I know that this will sounds old fashioned. But it wouldn't hurt having some trap holes around the theater. Even with out spears we can manage to break the legs of some attackers who might charge against us." Benji says.

"It is too troublesome and not much effective." Ayame replies. "But traps in the rooms and halls might work." And in one tone Benji and Maria says. "That would mean loosing those rooms."

It is the first time that they talk as one. And it surprises the others and the duo. "If we are under siege and we are about to lose those rooms them it would be accepted trapping them. Before that it is better not risk." Benji says and Maria nods angrily agreeing.

"But we don't have any weapons." Ogami says. "We can use the tools that we took from the ones that Benji killed." Maria says. "Anything can be used as weapon." Benji adds. "And I say that out of personal experience."

"It is settled for now. Benji, you will command the kazegumi now and will see what from those tools can be used as weapons. Ogami, Maria, you two and Kanna will take care of the windows and the door. Ayame, you take Sakura and Sumire to move the furniture out of the entrance and the rooms around it. Kohran will be trying to build the radio or our way out of here and Iris will assist her." Yoneda orders and the others acknowledge it.

Present time

Kasumi sighs seeing that Benji is removing the blades of the scythes too dented to be properly used. And that are more than half of it. The hoes were in a better state but still bad. She is removing the metal from the wood rod. And Yuri is removing the rust from the using a blunt scythe blade. Tsubaki calls for lunch and Benji calls a break for it.

In the dinning they see the others. Taking out Iris, Tsubaki and Sadako everyone else is dirty from working hard. They in silence and move away to continue the assigned works. By the nighttime it is all done. The girls are taking a well deserved hot bath since water isn't a major worry thanks to Kohran machine and the daily storms.

Day thirty six

Kanna is on the recreation room among Sakura, Iris and Sumire. Ogami, Benji, Maria, Kohran, Ayame and the kazegumi are working in different things. Maria and Ogami are guarding the theater. Benji among the kazegumi are trying to make the old tools captured from the dead enemies in more effective weapons. Kohran is working on a radio and in a requested weapon for Benji. And Ayame is among Yoneda planning on what do next.

The red head sighs seeing the large altered board that Benji and Maria was using to play no longer chess but a war game using the chess pieces. Before the first attack, Benji and Maria chess games were a different thing to see and a welcome distraction to everyone.

Day nineteen

It became a part of the new routine of the lost Teigeki watch the chess matches between Benji and Maria. And all began with an innocent offer from the brunette of playing with the blonde since she was bored. Maria rivalry and competitive spirit flared at the same second. And the first of the daily ten matches of the duo began.

And this day is not different. Usually Maria wins six out of ten. And Benji wins the remaining four. Just that fact flares Maria anger. "Check-mate." Benji says taking Maria king with his knight.

"I hate you!" Maria shouts with anger and frustration. "And I love you." Benji replies in a casual tone. "Arghhhh!" Maria shouts her frustration holding her head and leaving the room. Benji smiles playfully to himself and began rearranging the pieces. "DO you mean that?" Sumire asks looking up from her book to the ninja.

"Well love is a quite strong word Sumire. I do like Maria. I am trying to be friendly with her." Benji replies. "But I can't resist rubbing her like that and provoking her. It is so easy set her off." Benji chuckles the last part. "You like Maria above the rest of us or you like her like friend or something?" Sumire asks with a rare smile to the ninja. And since they arrived there she hasn't smiled much.

"Well I do like her as a friend. She is attractive and I wouldn't mind in being more than that. But I guess that only friends will do." Benji replies. "Why feeling jealous?" Sumire blushes with his comment. "Of course not. Curious only." She replies. Looking calmer Maria return few minutes later. After losing again Maria is about to burst.

"Five out of ten?" Maria mutters angrily. "Why you are improving?" Benji looks at her. "We are playing ten rounds everyday for seventeen days. It is only natural." Benji replies. "I hate you." Maria says. "And if you come with that I love you thing again I will beat you."

Benji smiles a similar smile of Ayame trademark I will tease you to death smile. "Really? And how you plan doing that?" Benji asks in a teasing tone. "Kanna has to sweat and work hard to manage to beat me on our sparring. And she is a master of karate. Unless you are better than her you can't beat me unless I let you do it."

Maria groans in anger. She hates being recalled of her weakness and the fact that Benji is better than her in few things. "Rematch?" Benji asks out of courtesy. Another thing that Maria hates on his is the fact that Benji always offer a rematch. "I am not on the mood." She replies. She is too angry and Benji uses that factor a lot to win.

"I was thinking over a thing Maria." Benji says in a casual tone picking up one of his rocks. "Like why you always lose two thirds of your pieces?" Maria asks teasing. "No. To be honest I already know the why of that." Benji replies in casual tone. "And it is?" Maria asks curious. "I am not attached to them." He answers. "They are only chess pieces, there isn't need to be attached to them." Maria replies.

"That leads me to my initial thought. I was thinking in making this game more interesting you are up to it?" Benji asks. "I am not betting." Maria replies. She is aware that in they present situation money is not worthy so the prizes would be most likely food or her body. "I didn't mean betting. I meant changing the game a bit. You give me two days to set up a new board and write the rules. So we can try it? If you don't like we can play chess again." Benji says. Growing bored of ten matches of chess everyday Maria agrees.

Day twenty one

Benji walks in the recreation room holding two booklets and a large piece of cardboard. Maria looks at him curious. He places the cardboard on the table where they play chess. She sees that on the face that is placed upwards is marked with squares and painted in different colors in many parts. Benji hands a booklet to Maria.

"The rules. Let me explain the board okay?" Benji says. Maria nods. "The goal is simple. There is two ways of winning. Defeating all the pieces of the adversary or taking the castle. This gray square." Benji says pointing to two squares on the edges of the board. One near of Maria and one near him. "The dark green squares means forests. Some pieces can't walk there. The dark brown is mountains. Also there is units that can't walk here. Rocks and knights can't walk on mountains. Bishops can't move on the forest. Pawns can move in any terrain. The blue squares are lakes or rivers. But here there is a river and the yellow squares there are bridges. Only the queen is able to pass by the rives without the bridge. The king moves by all terrains. But he can't leave his kingdom. That is mine or your half of the board." Benji explains.

"The light green squares are plains. Anything moves by it. Well the board has one square meter. We have a one hundred by fifty squares each as our kingdoms. Each piece moves a certain number of squares by turn. The queen moves ten squares in any direction. The bishop six in any direction. Knights seven in any direction. Rocks five in any direction. Pawns three in any direction. King moves four. We can attack the adversary pieces by saying it. Each piece has a number of hit points. Ten for the pawns, twelve the knights, twenty the rocks, queen has fifteen, bishop thirteen and the king sixteen. To see if we manage to hit the enemy piece we roll a dice. Over four you hit and roll the damage. One dice to pawns, bishops and knights. Two dices to rocks, queen and the king. Each unit has one dice to try to avoid the damage when hit. Have to score five or more. Got it?" Benji asks.

Maria stays in silence for a minute. "In short we need to use the terrain strategically, plan the attacks carefully to not lose pieces to more powerful enemy and think over the plans as the game moves?" Maria asks. "That is basically it." Benji replies. "Sounds interesting." Maria says. "How we arrange the pieces?"

"Place the king in the castle. The others can stay within a seventeen square area around it to begin." Benji answers. "Why the booklet since you explained the rules?" Maria asks arranging her pieces. "That is just them written in case you forgot them." Benji replies.

Day thirty six

Kanna stares to the half played game. Since Benji came up with that the games were rather long because the many possible ways of playing and strategies to use. Maria hated to admit but she loved the game since allowed her to use more strategy thought than the regular chess. Since the first attack the game was forgotten.

In the dinning hall.

Benji is polishing one of the scythe blade that was too dented to be used as a scythe. With the file from Kohran, Benji is actually sharpening the opposite edge of the blade. The circular ending that connected the blade to the rod if flat. Hammered by him to bar. He picks a small piece of wood from one of the hoes stick and breaks one of the tips a bit and inserts the flattened ring on the crack and he slide a metal ring to it and hammers it on the place tightly holding the wood and holding strongly it, squeezing the metal between the wood walls.

Now Benji is holding a curved knife. With a twenty centimeters long blade and with a saw like dents on the back of the blade. "Not bad." Benji says looking at his handwork. He proceeds to do the same with the remaining dented scythes.

In Kohran workshop, formerly a empty bedroom

Kohran is holding a long metal pipe and two coils one inside the other. She places on the coils a metal cover with a leaver and places on the pipe. She places on the pipe metal covers that will prevent the coils from leaving the pipe and screw it on the place. She attaches the pipe on a wood frame and it is looking like a crude rifle. Kohran moves the leaver to the side and pull it back feeling the coil tensing when doing it.

A small click sounds letting her know that the coil is held on the place. She pushes the leaver forward and moves it back to the original position. The coil is still on the proper place. She moves her right hand to the trigger below it and presses it. The two strong tensed coils are sudden freed from the lock and snaps back to the ring of the metal leaver. Kohran smiles with the results. The metal pin on the coil passed by the metal ring of the leaver that prevents the coil from leaving the pipe. And with that a projectile would leave the gun.

Satisfied Kohran places a bolt that fits the inner part of the pipe with a little tightness. Pulls the leaver back and then closes the barrel. She aims to a wood box and fire. The projectile pierces it. Kohran laughs since her gun is working properly. Now she can deliver it to Maria. Picking a large box of bolts she moves to Maria guarding post.

"Maria-han!" Kohran shouts seeing the blonde by a window. Maria looks at Kohran. "What is wrong Kohran and what is that?" Maria asks. "This is a homemade rifle. It uses two powerful coils to launch the projectiles. I don't know how long it goes but you can test it." Kohran says. "But why you build that?" Maria asks.

"Benji-han asked me to do so. And make sense so I did." Kohran explains. Maria isn't happy. But accepts the rifle. Kohran doesn't like Benji very much but since she did build the rifle. "Let's see how far it goes." Maria says. And by the rest of the day the duo expends adjusting the aim and setting the max range of the rifle.

Day forty

Tsubaki runs thru the hall. "Mina!" she shouts busting thru the dinning hall doors. Everyone looks at her. "There is people out there." She says. Benji picks his scythe knife and puts on the back of his belt. "They are with a white flag. They seem wanting to talk." Tsubaki says.

"Benji, you go out and talk with them. Maria you get on the window facing them and cover Benji. If anything goes wrong you help him." Ayame orders. "But why him?" Ogami asks. "Because he is tall and strong. In every way he seems to be a leader. And if they think that Benji is the leader they will hesitate to attack us. It is better than sending me. Who are old and weak." Yoneda answers.

"That is psychological warfare." Ayame says. "Benji uses that a lot. Putting fear on the enemy will make easier to win." Benji sighs and moves to the entrance. Maria moves to the window over it and moves to her sniper nest. Maria from there saw that Ayame was right. The small group of men seems to hesitate seeing Benji tall form leaving the theater doors. "I am General of the Imperial army Himura Benji, Who are you?" Benji asks in a tone filled with authority. They hesitate to respond. "We aren't military." The one with the flag says moving a bit forward. "We are lost on this land for months. Our food supply is over and the lightning storm killed dozens of us during our journey to seek more people or a place to live." He answers to Benji. Could you share us the shelter, food and water?" he asks. Then Kanna runs out of the theater doors.

"General!" she cries on her run. The group seems scared to seeing an even taller women leaving the building. "I have new information." She says moving to whisper to Benji. He nods. "I see. Thank you major." Benji says to Kanna who salutes him. "I apologize. But our food supply is on the verge of ending. And we can't give room on the base. It is filled with my soldiers and them families. About four hundred people, we have no room for more people." Benji says to them. "We can spare a water barrel. So you can gather water from the rains."

The group seems lightly tense after Benji words. "I will bring the water." He adds moving back to the theater. The group seems to be confused on what to do. Inside the theater Maria runs to the entrance to found what was all that about.

"Why you called him general Kanna!" Maria hears Ogami asking to Kanna as soon the doors close behind Benji. "Because I ordered." Yoneda says. Everyone looks at the elder man. "You gave the signal, what happened Benji?" Ayame asks to the ninja. "They are lying." Benji answers. "You guys heard that they say that they lost dozens of them in the storms, struck by lightnings. They seem too healthy to be lost for months with out food. And they haven't said that during the walk they lost people. I am a ninja. Trained to move in all terrains and I was raised up a hill. And the mountains around here are hard to move."

Ayame looks tense at him. "In other words they killed those who they said who died and ate them?" Ayame asks to the ninja. "Most likely." Benji replies. "They were thinking on attacking us. But the lie over our numbers scared them a bit. For a while we have an advantage."

"And if they aren't lying?" Sumire asks. "You will leave them to starve to death!" "Yes." Ayame, Yoneda and Benji answer as one. And that scared and surprised the entire Teigeki. "Look we don't like this more than you do. But we barely have enough food for us. Much less for an unknown number of them. In order to survive we need to let them die." Yoneda says in a very serious tone.

"You planned this. You planned this with Benji and Ayame haven't you?" Ogami says in a shaking voice. "Yes I did. We had a meeting a while ago in case of anything like this happened. We came with this plan of making Benji a leader in order to scare them. Say that our numbers are huge so they will fear to attack. Send Kanna to scare them since she is taller than Benji and equally scary in these circumstances." Yoneda replies.

Ogami stays in silence too angry to say anything. "In order to survive we need to be strong. Teito needs all of us alive to protect her." Yoneda says. Kasumi and Yuri walk to the entrance pushing a metal barrel filled with water. "Everyone go to your positions." Yoneda orders. They all leave. But Maria stays and faces Benji.

"You suggested this haven't you?" she asks to him in a cold voice. "No. It was Yoneda idea. I am only playing along it." Benji replies to the blonde. "Please go to your nest and cover me." Benji says to her in a normal tone.

"And why you trust me?" Maria asks to him. "After all I could only shoot you with that rifle that you asked Kohran to build." She adds coldly. Benji sighs at her comment. "Yes you could Maria. But I trust you. And I think that you know that no one else than me will fight is this come to a combat over the food and the theater." Benji says to her. "You will fight too since you also killed humans in the past. But you know as well as I do that against an angry mob charging at you, you don't stand a chance of surviving. And I do. After all I am trained to fight multiple enemies."

Maria knows that he is right. "So let's put our differences aside and cooperate on this." Benji says. "You know that I don't have any grudges over you shooting me. And as far as I can tell we are friends. So trust on me." Before Maria can reply Benji is pushing the barrel out of the theater. "Damn you." She mutters racing to her nest on the empty office over the entrance.

Benji moves to the group that waiting on where he left. "Here is the water." Benji says to them placing the barrel in the ground in front of them. Benji can feel Maria sharp eyes on his back. The eyes of the seven men of the group are hard and menacing. "What you will do if we say that we will take over that building?" the leader asks.

Benji laughs coldly. "I would tell you to dig your graves first, because it will be suicide." Benji says in a cold menacing tone that rivals Maria. "I alone killed thirty men who thought that attacking us would be nice. I didn't even call for my soldiers to do so."

The group seems to lose some of the courage. "Well you are alone here we can take you." The leader says. "Look over the window right over my head. You will see one of my soldiers armed with a rifle ready to fire if any of you try anything funny." Benji says icily. "Move away and forger this place if you want to live."

"We will take over it. We are three hundred. And you seems to be bluffing." The leader says. "Jus try it." Benji replies with a devilish smile. "Just try. I defeated one hundred and fifty ninjas alone in three hours. A bunch of armed buffoons won't even be a decent work out."

Saying that Benji turns his back at them and walk to the theater. One of them tries to attack Benji. Just to be shot by Maria in the head and lose the head by Benji knife. Benji almost hasn't moved and now he is holding his knife dripping blood and walking to the theater. The others back away taking the water with them.

Inside the theater Benji moves to Maria nest. "Thanks." Benji says. "Don't thank me. This is only a temporary alliance. I still dislike you and when this is over I will beat you." Maria replies guarding the front grounds. "It is still a beginning." Benji says moving away. Exiting the nest he sees the others members of the Teigeki. All of them seem to be very, very tense.

"Benji we was discussing our present situation." Yoneda says to Benji in a serious tone. "And you were right over your guess that no one would fight a battle against humans. So you and Maria will be mainly fighting alone. Ayame offered to aid you two in the battle too. But this is another issue. Since I am too old to fight myself I also can't give any significative help. So during this time of crisis I am naming you the leader of the Teigeki. A war leader to be precise."

Benji is clearly surprised with that. "You have experiences in this kind of situation and you also took over a mansion by yourself. So you know how to fight back an invasion on the theater." Yoneda adds. "During this battle time you are in charge of all of us. Ayame and myself included. We all will do everything that you say. The girls won't obey an order to fight. But all the others they will obey."

"You all are sure of this. I am not from the military or even a leader of the team." Benji says. "That is true. But is also true that you leaded a large group on a place called EAFST." Yoneda replies. "You also leaded well the hanagumi on the training sections." Ogami is clearly contrary about all this. "We all will help with the best of our abilities." The kazegumi says to him. Before appearing on the wasteland they were getting along. And after it Benji was giving small orders to them, until Yoneda told him to lead the group. And now they are being the first to accept Benji as the leader.

"I am not happy with this but I will help too." Sumire says sounding unhappy with the situation. "I will do my best pal." Kanna says. One by one they tell him that will work under his lead. Benji sighs seeing that he is now trapped on the leadership again. "Okay. Kohran, you and Yuri make a full inventory of every chemical, cleaning product and every expendable product that isn't food on the theater." Benji says to them.

"Ryokai!" they shout leaving to obey the order. "Tsubaki and Yoneda, you two make a new inventory of our food supply." Benji tells to the other duo. "Ryokai!" they say before leaving. "This is odd." Benji mutters. Kanna nods hearing his whisper. "Kanna, you and Sumire seek for anything that can be used as a weapon that won't break easily. Store them on the dinning hall." Benji orders to them. "Ryokai!" they shout leaving to obey the new order.

Benji looks at Iris, Ayame, Kasumi and Ogami. The ones left. "Ogami, you keep an eye on Sadako." Benji orders to the lieutenant. He only nods and moves away. "Okay. Iris, you and Kasumi will have the most important job of all of us." Benji says. Iris seems to lithe up hearing it. "You two be taking food and water to all of us while we work."

"That is not important!" Iris says pouting. Benji knees to get on the eye level of the little girl. "That is very important Iris." Benji replies placing a hand over her little shoulder. "That is the most important factor in any battle. The people who take care and escort the supplies are the most important people in a battle. With out them the soldiers will starve and the morale will fall. And then they will lose." Iris looks thoughtful over his words.

"Is that truth?" Iris asks. "Of course it is Iris-chan." Ayame answers. "In a battle we attack the supplies of the enemy so they will be hit by it. A working supply line is really important."

Iris now seems very happy with her assignment. And she and Kasumi leave to get water bottles and cups to distribute to the others. "So and what we will do?" Ayame asks to Benji who is now getting up. "We will see what we can do to avoid losing rooms. You guys have a blueprint of the theater first floor, right?" Benji replies. "Yes we have." Ayame answers. "Then let's study it. I guess that the best now is trying having an open field battle. But for that I would need longer weapons. And ones that are easy to use. Because against a mob speed is everything." Benji says.

Two hours later, Benji walks on Maria nest. "Hey take a break." Benji says to her. "I take over it." Maria looks at him. "I am not tired." She replies. "But you are there for hours. Take a break and stretch your legs a bit." Benji says to her. "Now that sounds better." Maria says. "I will take over in two hours." She says getting up and walking slowly out of the room feeling the blood run on her legs freely again.

Day forty two

Benji is on the dinning hall and he is looking to the items that Sumire and Kanna gathered. Most of it all is pieces of wood, few bolts and small blades. Sadly isn't what Benji was hoping. "Well I guess that a pair of tonfas can be builded from those." Benji says. Kanna lithe up. After all is her weapon of choice. "Ask to Kohran to make it." Benji continues. "Kanna you keep them. In case that I fall at least you can fend them off."

"Oi! You aren't planning on dying are you?" Kanna says surprised with his words. "No. But might happen." Benji says. "I need of a cutting weapon. Not a contusive one. Something with a long blade that won't get stuck on the enemy. Sadly this doesn't work."

"Sorry." Kanna and Sumire say. "It is not your fault. Well we will figure something out." Benji says giving them a smile. He knew that he was pushing the luck too far when asking for them to search for anything that can be used like a cutting weapon. And the kitchen knife is too weak to the job.

Later on that day

Benji, Yoneda, Maria, Ayame and Ogami are having another strategic meeting. "With no long blade weapons it will be hard to be effective against them in an open field." Benji says, speaking out of experience. Ogami looks doubtfully. "You faced more than one hundred ninjas with knifes. Why you can't take them?" are the Japanese man words.

"Too many in a open are." Is Benji reply to the Hanagumi leader. "In Iga I fought in halls and small rooms where they couldn't fully swing or go all out with out harming they companions. So my knifes were fully effective"

Maria is in silence. "I hate to say this Taisho but he is right. Even that both scenarios are one against many enemies sets. The area of combat is different and there he had the surprise effect. As well fear and intimidation on his side. On this scenario he only has the last two." The blonde words weights on the room.

"They are amateurs and are not from the military. But it isn't wise to underestimate them." She adds thoughtfully. "I made that mistake with him and paid for it." Benji notices that when Maria spoke she rubbed her right hand fingers lightly with her left hand. He noticed that is a subconscious gesture of stress that for sure he gave her.

"And the numbers are also something to worry about." Ayame says changing the topic before everything goes badly. "Even with out food three hundred of them are something to worry about." They all nod agreeing. Benji is thinking on what to do next. "This isn't good." He thinks worried. "Those improvised axes and knifes aren't good for a fight like this. And concussive weapons won't do either."

Benji sighs heavily. "At least there I had knifes and ways to bluff over them. And there the fights wasn't to death so I could use my iron pipe." He thinks recalling of the hell of his former boarding school. Everyone is in silence thinking on what to do next. And then they see the realization shines on Benji face.

Benji looks excited at Ayame. "Ayame the theater pipes are from iron, right!" the major is confused with his question but answer it. "Yes. The public toilets, tub, boiler and drinkable water pipes are from iron. The sewer pipeline is made of lead why?" Benji doesn't reply to her question running out of the room before his chair can hit the floor with his sudden move.

Curious they all chase after him. The others members of the Teigeki see the odd race and join it. After all since they got lost they are avoiding efforts to spare energy and food. Benji reaches the first floor and leaps two meters in front of a wall. He pulls his right leg back and packs a powerful kick on the wall.

The dull sound of the kick echoes on the hall before a large part of the wall cracks and breaks, falling from the wall. Benji lands and kicks again destroying another good chunk of the wall. "What the hell he is doing!" Sumire asks shocked with Benji actions. "I don't know." Ayame answers. "But whatever it is must be something really good."

Benji packs few punches and rips out some bricks from the wall tossing the back. The hanagumi dodges the debris. Benji grasps something on the wall and pulls it hard from it, ripping whatever it is from the wall. A sickening sound of metal breaking is heard. And then Benji turns at them holding a one meter long cement covered rod.

Confused they look at him. Benji run pass them ignoring the questions of the large group. Ayame looks at the wall and looks on her mental map of the theater and remembers what lies on the other side of that now broken wall.

She smiles naughtily. "Benji you devil!" she shouts sounding for the very first time happy since they got there. "How you thought of that!" the entire Teigeki stares Ayame surprised. Kohran moves to the wall and sees the damage. "He ripped a pipe out of here." The Chinese says seeing the severed connections. When they arrived they cutted the water supply over the unneeded areas like the public toilets and the shower room. "Benji locked himself on Kohran workshop!" Tsubaki says running at them after following Benji. "I heard some odd sounds there."

Kohran freezes up hearing it. She passed her tools and other objects to an empty room so she could keep her room clean. "Don't worry Kohran." Ayame says to her. "He will come out when he is done with his idea." But that doesn't makes Kohran feels better.

Way later on that day

A heavy metal pounding sounds on the theater. "Could him just stop it!" Sumire shouts angrily. "He is doing that for over two hours! Before that just God knows what he was doing there for three hours!" Sumire is angry with the sounds that are breaking her peace of mind. And unlike Ayame that is visually excited over whatever Benji is doing Sumire is pissed off. And she marches to the workshop followed by the others members of the theater.

Sumire pounds at the door. She waits for a response but it doesn't come. She tries again and again. After long minutes the door opens and a dark cloud of sooth and smoke leaves the door. Benji walks out of the room. His face blackened by the smoke and sooth. The fact that he is holding a sword and his evil smirk makes everyone tense.

Ayame takes a step forward. "It is over?" Benji doesn't answer her question. But stands his armed hand to her. Ayame holds the sword by the hilt. She exams closely at the makeshift sword. She sees that the edge is tightly squeezed between two metal walls from the pipe. The blade is a single piece with the hilt.

She moves the sword a bit weighting it. "The hilt is heavy." She says handing it to him. "I filled with lead. I also used it to attach the scythe blades on the pipe before hammering them down." Benji replies walking by them. Kohran is now curious to ask the details but she won't risk anything with Benji now armed.

After a while Benji enters in the dinning hall now cleaned and fresh from a quick bath. "So how you did it?" Ayame asks at him. Benji places the sword over the table. "I found some lead pipes in there and I thought in adding more weight to it. So I cutted the pipe in the half vertically with a metal saw and I cutted until the length that I wanted leaving uncutted the hilt area. I melted and placed the lead on the pipe before adding the scythe blades. Then I hammered them down into a thin blade. After it I melted more lead and filled the hilt with it." He explains to them.

Ayame nods understanding. It was plain simple and yet very effective. "They are moving!" Yuri shouts running to the dinning hall. "They seem ready to battle!" Benji smirks at her words. "Well time for the test drive." He says. "So Maria what about some cover?" the blonde looks coldly at him. "Only because you are fighting them. I don't want the others doing so." Replies icily as they move. Benji moves to the entrance with the sword and Maria goes to her nest with her bolts rifle.

Benji leaves the safety of the entrance of theater and walks casually closer of the moving group of enemies. Benji mover two hundred meters away from theater within Maria range. Since her rifle range is three hundred meters. Giving her enough space to kill any of the attackers that might pass by him before entering on a blind spot closer of the theater.

The attackers are still far from Benji. "Um…dois…três…quatro…." Benji begins to count the number of enemies in Portuguese. "Pyat...shest...siem...vossem..." Maria counts the enemies in Russian. "Kyuu...juu…juuichi…juuni…" Ayame counts in Japanese seeing the approach of the enemy by a window.

"Setenta e cinco...setenta e seis...setenta e sete." Benji ends the count. "Seventy seven." Maria looks at the approaching small army. "It will be a hard fight." She mutters locking and loading her rifle.

;Rammstein Engel;

Benji stays unmoving on his spot and he begins to whistle Engle. His sword sheathed on his belt held inside a thin lead pipe adjusted to that function. The attackers grew angry with Benji whistling and charge at him trying to overcome the three hundred meters between themselves and the ninja as quickly as they can. Not realizing that they fell into the ninja trap, which is now careless singing the lyrics of the song. Not that any of them can understand what he is saying since he is singing in German.

Maria can't help on smirking at his usual way of fighting. Or provoking. "He must got mastery on provoking people." She mutters recalling that Benji provokes her a lot when playing chess and the war game. And she can't help on getting angry in recalling. "He is too good in that." She angrily mutters trying to calm herself.

And when the men are twenty meters away from him, Benji charges at them really quickly unsheathing the sword. Benji reaches them and before they can react four men lost them legs chopped out on the middle thigh high. Blood gushes from the wounds and Benji spins his body chopping out two men arms.

Maria whistle impressed. "Not bad for a first raid." She whispers seeing Benji maiming the enemies instead of killing them. Screams of pain fills the air mixed with war cry of the attackers. Oddly Benji is in silence focused only on the task on his hand. Or kill them all and get out of there alive.

Benji stabs a man in the chest and punches him hard on the face removing the sword from his body. He spins the sword by the hilt and slashes three men on the stomach. He keeps spinning and moving himself dodging the clumsy but fierce attacks from them. "Oi! That looks like Sumire Fujin ryu!" Kanna says seeing Benji sudden change of style. "She is right! It looks like my Fujin ryu!" Sumire says seeing lightly similarities on his sword slashes when comparing to her own naginata moves.

Ayame looks at the battle. "Well he just stole them from you, Sumire." Ayame explains to them. "Don't worry he also took attacks from the others too." Sumire is shocked with the revelation. "How he stole my moves!" she asks angrily. "Watching you training. Then adapting your moves to his own style. He is doing the same with my Ni ken Ni to." It is Ayame casual reply.

On the field Benji continues his morbid task. He jumps high avoiding many attacks from spears made out of hoes and scythes. He inverts the grip on the sword before landing over one of the attackers. He stabs him thru his skull. Blood gushes from the wound and some hits Benji face. He twists his body and slashes two closer men cutting they thighs deep to the bone. More blood fills the air.

Benji moves by the tightly packed group that seems determined to take him down, but is failing miserably and is getting smaller and smaller. With powerful slash Benji cuts a man in the half vertically and moves to another one chopping his arm off. Maria fires at a man who was getting too close of Benji. She reloads and fire at the ones on the edge of the group while Benji kills the ones on the middle.

And when fifty six of them were killed or severally maimed the others begin to run trying to flee of the battle. Benji chases them with Maria shooting the ones who are getting too far. Benji picks his sword sheath and now with two weapons he smashes skulls and cuts bones of the men's ahead of him taking one by one down. Soon it is all over. "CLEAR!" Benji shouts to the theater.

Ayame leaves the theater holding a bag and she is followed by Yoneda who is also holding a large bag. They move to the battle field and take all the weapons of the corpses and from the dying ones. The cries of pain soon die with them owners giving on the field a deserved sepulchral silence while the duo continues the morbid task of depriving the enemy of them weaponry. Benji stays far of them guarding them from distance.

Soon they move to theater. The hanagumi stares at the blood covered Benji. Who didn't got a single wound during the ten minutes long battle. And a storm begins while Benji cleans the sword so it won't rust. After a bath the Teigeki have dinner.

Benji looks at his plate. "Why there is more food on my plate?" he asks to Ayame. Who replies. "We discussed a bit and decided that since you are fighting you need more energy so you need to eat more. It is not what you used to eat but is more than twice the normal ration. Don't complain and eat. Maria is also getting more since she is aiding you." The others nod backing up Ayame words.

Benji knows that she is right. He burned too much calories on the attack. And he eats most of his food. As usual he gives some of his share to Iris. And he is not the only one who does that. Ayame, Maria, Sakura, Sumire, and everyone else give some of they own food to the little girl. They all are very aware that she is on a very crucial period of her growth and she needs many nutrients to grow health. So in the end Iris gain an extra portion of food. And by the request of the others she eats it.

Day fifty

Eight days have passed since the first attempt of raid of the cannibals. After the battle Tsubaki who was watching the entrance saw them removing the corpses from the battle field. And from a safe distance Benji followed them. Only to see at least four hundred of them feasting on the raw meat of the dead ones.

Benji report wasn't nice and he told only to those who needed to hear it. There wasn't need to worry the others over that fact. And since that battle there was two daily raids. One in the mid morning and one on the late afternoon before the dusk. Seeing that is futile charge in large numbers they attack in groups of twenty men, on the tops thirty. What makes easier to Benji and Maria deal with them.

But even like that an alarming fact is worrying Benji. Every night he sneaks nearby the enemy camp that is one kilometer away from the theater. And they numbers seems only to grown. And he saw what seemed to be three banners poles each with a different banner made out from a ripped kimono.

It is noon and everything is calm. Benji is on Kohran workshop. "I need a heavier sword." Benji says to the Chinese girl that following his lead manufactured a pair of katana like swords to him. "But why that?" she asks curious. Benji sighs at her question but answer it. "No offence intended but the swords are losing the edge and even sharpening is not improving much. So I need to use more strength to cut. With a heavier sword I would need less strength to cut." Kohran sees the logic on his line of thought. She is also aware that he will use the ones that he has until they break. But during that time she needed to found a way to make a heavier sword to him using iron pipes, lead pipes, hoes and scythes. They talk over few possibilities but nothing that seems much promising.

Day sixty. By the lunch

Yuri runs to the dinning hall. And she is clearly disturbed. "Ogami is missing!" she shouts at the group. Benji curses and the girls are worried. Ogami was vocal over trying to solve things peacefully, by talking with the cannibals not by killing them. And the Teigeki members make a full search for the lieutenant on the theater. And he is not anywhere on the valley in front of the theater. With a dark mood everyone tries doing what they usually do.

Day sixty. Sometime pass 5 PM

Maria knocks in Benji's room door. The ninja opens it. She ignores the dust over him. "We got problems." Maria says in a plain tone. "They captured Ogami." Benji mutters a curse. "How?" he asks. Maria frowns a bit. "It seems that he tried to discuss with them and they captured him. They tied him on a pole nine hundred meters from here and are beating him." She explains to him. "They are provoking us. As well trying to found out exactly who we are and the best way of invading."

Benji understand. "Go to your nest. I will fetch him." He says to the blonde. "You know that you won't be able to get him alive?" she asks hiding her emotions. "I am aware. But he wouldn't like to be eaten by them and increasing even a little they resistance over us." Benji replies. Maria nods agreeing and moves away. Few minutes later Benji is moving out of the theater with two swords on his back and a long and thick rod made out of iron bars. The others doesn't suspect from anything since Maria haven't said a word to them. Benji moves stealthily on the edge of the valley moving to where Ogami is being tortured. Maria follows the entire deal by her nest.

Fifty meters away from Ogami, Benji stops. He pulls a long tressed metal cable. He bends the rod made out of four thick iron bars and ties the string on the place. Now the rod is a long metal bow, tensed to its limits. Benji pulls from his back a one centimeter thick and one meter and fifteen centimeters long wood arrow with a glass tip. He stands facing Ogami and the back of the men's torturing the sailor.

Ogami sees a shinning thing behind his tortures and sees Benji pulling the bow string and arrow. He closes his eyes. "I hate to see this happen. But all that he can do for me is giving me a quick death." Ogami thinks. He opens his eyes and gives a light nod accepting his fate.

Benji sees Ogami signal. "Gomen." He mutters taking a very careful aim. He has only one shot. In her nest Maria sees everything. And even a long time before that even she turned her back to the religion she says a prayer for her commander, never looking away from the scene.

Ogami closes his eyes. Benji releases his arrow and Maria finishes her prayer. A swift and piercing sound fills the air for a second before the arrow founds her resting place on Ogami heart. With out pain or a cry of surprise Ogami leaves the world of the living. Shocked the men tosses themselves on the ground. Benji runs to Ogami corpse. Fully changing his grip on the bow Benji slams down a man who was getting up. Benji cuts the ropes that were bounding Ogami there and he runs to the theater holding the corpse over his left shoulder and the bow on his right hand.

Maria looks behind Benji and sees a large group of men giving chase at him. But the ninja is by far faster and he has a good distance between himself and them. Benji reaches the theater doors and places Ogami corpse inside the entrance and picks an arrow case filled with arrows like the ones in Ogami. He removes the one from Ogami and races out to his usual spot.

More than one hundred men are charging at the theater. Benji pulls the string with an arrow and kill one of them and Maria does the same with her rifle. She shouted an alarm when the charge began. Ayame is ready with the third sword by the door. She saw Ogami corpse and figured what happened. She can only hope that they are able to fend off this raid like they did with the others.

Benji swings his bow at the crowd of attackers easily breaking bones with the sturdy structure. Maria keeps firing at them. Benji places the bow on his back and draws his swords. Now Benji cuts out legs and arms of the crowd opening a large hole on the mass of men around him.

Around Benji more and more men and women fall with the spinning slashes of the ninja swords. Benji smiles and as magic a heavy storm began. And the heavy rain doesn't cool off the heat of the battle. "Get inside Ayame!" Benji shots to Ayame and he nails his bow on the now wet ground and leaps high on the air. The major obeys.

A large lightning hits the metal bow. All its powerful electricity runs to the ground with full power. All the men are stunned and badly wounded by the electricity running on the ground. Benji lands over a man and slashes his head off. Benji spins the blades making the blood and the water spray of it before hitting another pair of men.

Unable to fight back properly by the lightning the men are nothing more than slow moving targets to the ninja. Soon with some extra aid from Maria it is over. Benji picks his bow and enters on the theater, preventing Ayame from going fetch the weapons on the storm. Sumire looks at Benji and slaps him hard. "You killed Shoui!" Sumire says crying. Everyone knows that if the ninja wanted Sumire would be at least unable to fight. But he only accepts her strikes on his chest.

Maria walks on the entrance. "Calm down Sumire. He didn't have a choice." The blonde says. "I saw the whole thing and it was me who told him that Ogami was captured and being tortured by them. It was a mercy killing." Everyone looks at the blonde surprised even Ayame. "We got lucky that he got a chance to steal his body from them." She adds.

Sumire stays in silence too shocked to say anything. Benji unties the wire from the bow. "I will dig up a grave for him on the inner garden." He says moving away. "I will help." Maria says moving too. "Someone stay in guard." She adds. Kasumi moves to Maria nest while the others digest the information.

Day sixty one

Benji and Maria are on the recreation room in one of the very rare breaks that they take together. They are sited around the war game table. Maria is holding a knight that in an earlier game she took it from Benji. "Want to continue?" she asks casually to the ninja. "Sure." He replies. None of them actually sounding excited over it. But is a way to pass the time and keep them busy.

Maria makes a move and Benji looks at the board. Maria looks at the board too. "How long you think that we can hold them?" she asks. Benji sigh and move a piece. "I am sure that until all of them die." It is his reply. "You noticed that so far there are only two attacks by day with on the tops sixty men in the total by day?" she says to him. "I have a feeling that things can turn harder."

Benji nods. "I think that too. Or they are sending only the weaker ones or they are all on that level." He replies. "I think that they are measuring us." Maria nods at his words agreeing with him. "What you would do in they situation?" she asks him.

Benji looks to the board. "I would gather all my men. Specially the stronger ones and take this over with one raid." Is his answer. "I am not the kind of guy that will send his weaker ones to the enemy kill and let them get stronger. I would kill them while weak and unprepared."

Maria nods agreeing. "It is a good strategy." She replies making her move. "What you think that they are planning?" Benji looks at her. "Probably trying to tire us and make us use all our resources to them attack us with the stronger men available." It is his answer. Maria nods understanding.

Benji makes his move. "I got this idea." He says to her. "And it is?" she asks. "I was thinking in making them few night visits." His tone is cold letting Maria know of his intentions. "Sounds good." She replies and they continue to play discussing what to do next.

Day sixty two

Benji and Maria are in the roof looking at the enemy camp. They can hear faintly the screams of horror of the people there founding decapitated men and women. They banners were ripped and hanged there are the severed heads. On the middle of the camp there is a circle with a pentagram.

The duo smiles seeing all the people there running around with fear. "That was so evil." Maria says. "How you thought in panting that thing?" Benji smiles get broader. "It came on the moment. As well placing the heads there." He replies. "Gives a good effect." Maria nods.

During the breakfast the mood is still heavy because Ogami death. But Maria breaks the news to them. And it makes everyone feels a little better.

Day seventy six

After the second raid of the day Benji enters on the theater holding his broken swords. Even with the cannibals fighting tired and scared Benji swords broke with the intensive use. And Kohran is still unable to make new to Benji since that is the sixth pair that Benji breaks and they are running short on material.

They broke many walls and took many pipes but since they can't melt the metal once it breaks it became useless. And Maria is also running out of bolts for her rifle. Kohran and Ayame are working together trying to solve those problems. "All the iron pipes that we had are broken. And the ones of the water heater can't be removed. We only have a huge pile of lead pipes." Kohran says to Ayame. "Benji can't use weapons that don't cut."

Ayame looks over the pipes. "Kohran can we make a mold with clay?" Ayame asks to the Chinese. "We can. But why?" Kohran says to Ayame. "I got an idea." It is the major reply.

The mood in the theater is heavy. The constant stress is taking its toll over them. Even thought only two of them are really fighting.

Day seventy seven

Benji leaves the theater to fight the incoming morning raid. This time he is only with one sword. The last one. Benji notices that this time the charging army is only wielding spears. It is clear as crystal to him that they figured that a longer range will be better.

Benji avoids the initial charge by leaping over the attackers and slashing them from there. Back on the ground Benji uses the shock of his action and the slower time of movement caused by the long spears to try to hit him again to cause a major damage on them.

Benji quickly make the enemy lines thinner. But his sword breaks in the half inside a man chest. Using the remaining blade as a knife Benji makes his attack even fiercer. But after the tenth men down the blade breaks again. Now left only with his fist Benji continue to fight aiming his punches on the enemy hearts.

And to the enemy surprise the hitten men fall dead after less than twenty seconds of being hit. After seven fell in consequences of Benji punches the ninja realizes what happened. "DRAGON DEATH STRIKE!" Benji shouts punching another one. And he passes to another one repeating the shout. It begins to rain since the battle is now taking much longer since Benji is unarmed.

Kanna stares in shock. "What the hell is going on!" she shouts "They are falling like flies!" Sumire is also watching shocked with the others girls.

Benji continue to fight aiming only on the hearts of the enemies. And he notices that the water sprays out of the back of them with the punches. And after long minutes it is over. Benji is once again the only man standing. He removes his broken swords from the corpses and walks to the theater taking deep breaths. Once again he is soaked with blood and rain water. Tired Benji moves to take a hot bath. On the workshop Ayame and Kohran are working melting the lead pipes.

By the time of the second raid Maria hears a sound of heavy footsteps. She looks at the entrance of the plain. Her eyes go wide with shock. She sees many armored men. But the armors are made from stone and it is covering the entire body of them. They move slowly but in a constant pace. She calls Benji who is shocked by the sight too. He can't use his arrows and Maria can't fire the bolts thru stone. And Benji can't just smash stones with his bare hands. At least not seventy boulders carrying spears. He would break all his hand bones by the tenth.

"We are screwed." Benji mutters. "I second that." Maria responds. "How many you think that you can take down?" she asks. "Empty handed ten on the tops." Benji answers. "Using the bow as a club fifteen maybe."

Maria doesn't like the numbers. There are one hundred of stone knights there. "Let's warn the others." She says. He nods and they race out of the room to tell the others that. On the dinning hall Ayame and Kohran arrive each holding something wrapped in cloth. "You complained that the pipe swords were too light so try this one." Kohran says giving to Benji her wrapping.

"FUCK!" Benji says feeling the weight of what ever Kohran gave to him. He unwraps the cloth and sees a broad, long sword with lozenge shaped tips four inches broader than the four inches broad blade. "What the hell is this!" Benji asks.

"A lead sword. The last twenty centimeters are lozenge shaped to cause more damages on the enemy. It is heavy. And we used the broken scythes to make the edges. So that will cut anything." Kohran says displeasured of making once again a tool of death "Here is the other one." Ayame says handing to Benji her own parcel.

"Each of then weights ten kilos. We left lead pipes inside to lessen the weight but still are very heavy." Kohran says. "I noticed!" Benji says seeing how hard it will be to use the pair of heavy swords. Benji ties one of them on his back and leaves the theater holding one of the swords.

"Go to the nest Maria. If you are sure of a certain killing shot take it. If not don't shoot." Benji says to her. Maria nods and runs to her post. "Now let's see if I can do this." He mutters walking to the battle field that this time will be beyond the two hundred meters away of the theater that he usually fights.

Benji charges at the armored knights with the sword on his hands. He dodges the slow attack of them and slams the heavy sword on the head of the closer one. The helmet is destroyed as well the skull of the man inside. Benji uses his quickness to overcome the heavy defense of the knights.

Strikes in the mid chest and head are his priority. Kill them with one move and then move to the next one. But Benji is pressed by them and ends using the other sword too. He moves as he did with the katanas having similar effects.

The battle drags for a long hour until all the knights are dead or dying. Benji returns to the theater even more tired. When he arrives his breath is very, very short and ragged and he is drenched with sweat.

"Sakura get a bucketful of water now!" Ayame orders to the girl who runs to obey. Ayame holds the exhausted Benji. "What is wrong with him?" Kanna asks worried. "He is over fatigued. If he fought any longer he could have died." Ayame says to them. "Like happens with cocks in a cockfight?" Kanna asks having seeing happening before. "Yes. They fought too hard for too long." Ayame says. Sakura arrives and Ayame orders to toss the water over Benji to cool him down.

The girl obeys. Benji fainted with the effort and he looks pained. "He must have cramps on his arms and chest." Ayame says. Kanna helps Ayame to take Benji to his room.

"No good…" Maria whispers seeing that the remaining cannibals are dragging the armored corpses away. "Not good at all."

Day eighty

For a major change for two days there weren't any raids. What gave time to Benji recover and train to get used to the new swords. But a dread feeling is around the theater. By Benji orders Kohran mines the closer halls of the entrance with homemade bombs made of the theater chemicals. Three detonators were produced to the bombs. One was given to Maria, the second for Benji and the third to Ayame.

It was clear for all them that they were expecting to lose the entrance in a future raid. "The detonators have three frequencies." Kohran explain. "The first is for the two bombs on the left hall. The second is for the ones in the right hall. And the third will blast the middle hall that leads to the stage."

Benji, Ayame and Maria nods at her instructions. "Listen, if we come to use them make sure that you are far from the blast zone and there are enemies behind you. So you can take down as many of them as you can." Benji says to the duo. They nod at his words.

All the unused rooms were locked and barricaded. The ones closer of the entrance were emptied and barricaded. Traps were armed and the habitants of the theater were ordered to not wander on that area.

Maria moves to the attic and it is preparing a new sniper nest there. Benji is on the entrance sited there with his swords. Kasumi walks to him. "Benji, Tsubaki, Yuri and myself made this on the past days. It is not as good as your chain mail. But it is resistant enough to avoid wounds like that one that you got three weeks ago. She hands to him a red suit. "We made it from the curtains so it is very strong and resistant for a normal fabric."

Benji picks it up. "Thank you Kasumi and thank Yuri and Tsubaki too." Kasumi smiles at his words. "I buy you girls dinner when we return." And she walks away. "Hai. We will charge you." She says moving away.

Benji knows of which incident she is talking about. In one of the raids Benji was hitten badly. A spear slashed him deeply on the side, above his hip. But Benji kept fighting even wounded. The kazegumi and Ayame was dead worried about him. Benji dressed the jacket that Kasumi gave him and close it up to the neck.

The jacket is heavy. But comfortable. He puts on the pants and sees that it doesn't get on his way on moving. He straps the swords on the proper places on the clothes and waits. "RAID!" Maria shouts for her new nest. Benji runs to the door. "Oh shit…" he mutters.

This time isn't only thirty of them. But all the remaining ones. Two hundred of them. And seventy of them are armored and also running in charge armed with altered hoes to be axes and spears. Benji grabs his bow and the arrows and runs closer and fires at the unarmored ones. He falls back while they charge. But he is making the lines thinner. And soon they get on her range Maria also kills the unarmored ones.

By the time that they reached Maria blind spot and Benji run out of arrows one hundred of the unarmored ones were killed. Benji enters on the entrance and removes the string from the bow saving those piano wires for later. When the first unarmored one arrives Benji smashes his skull with the metal rod. Maria runs down the theater and reaches a peek hole made before and kills more among Benji.

Benji tosses his staff on Tsubaki gift shop and runs out of the entrance. His staff hits a small metal bucket filled with a black powder and a candle that was there falls in the powder causing a large explosion. About thirty attackers are hitten by the blast. Armored and unarmored. Using the shock of the explosion Benji attacks again with his swords. But soon the entrance is too crowed of armored men and he can't swing his swords properly to gain the needed momentum to smash the rock armors. Benji runs out of the entrance.

Maria runs on the opposite hall. They are chased by a bunch of armored and unarmored men. Maria passes the blast range and detonates her bombs. All her chasers are hitten by the blast or blocked by the fall of debris. She moves to the stage and detonates the middle hall as the planned.

Benji hears the two blasts. He detonates his own pack of bombs. But he was hitten by a debris and fall dropping his swords. And he turns around just in time to see an attacker leaping to stab him with a knife. Benji raises his left arm and the man stabs Benji arm. The knife pierce Benji flesh cleanly. The man leans closer of Benji arm and tries to stab him like that forcing all his weight down.

But Benji is far stronger than the man and his added weight. Benji pulls his own knife and stabs the man neck by the side. Benji feels the man vertebras giving up and he dies. Benji removes his knife and sheathes it and picks his swords and run away removing the knife from his arm.

Benji meets Maria on a staircase. "No one passed by the defenses. But we lost the entire entrance." Maria says. "Better than losing the theater." Benji replies. The duo stops on Yoneda office that is above the entrance. And they peek thru holes on the floor. All the attackers are gathered there tending the wounds and reorganizing.

"I counted that we took down on this raid about one hundred and thirty of them." Maria says. "I got a number close of that too." Benji replies. Both of them knew that they counting was a bit off. But it was over one hundred and twenty so was good. "How many bolts you still have?"

Maria checks the barrel of her rifle. "Ten steel ones, seven lead ones." She replies. "Not enough." Benji nods. Maria pulls his knife and puts it on her belt. Benji doesn't complain over it. "Any plans?" Maria asks.

Benji nods. "We can lock the entrance from the outside. And barricade the door to lock them there. And I would raid the camp to kill anyone who was there." The brunette explains. "Sounds good." Maria replies.

And they proceed with the plan. Locked on the theater entrance with out water makes the attackers over stressed and tense. They can't rest since the hanagumi rule on the theater. Benji and Maria moves to the dinning hall. Ayame and Kazumi tends Benji and Maria wounds. That was many.

"How you got that cut?" Maria asks seeing the deep wound on Benji left forearm. "I blocked a knife with it." Benji replies while Ayame pours sake on his wound. Everyone one else stays in silence too tense to say anything and don't understanding why Benji and Maria can just chat like that after a battle.

Day ninety two

Kohran is over stressed as all the others. She is walking by the halls alone ignoring the warning of stay far from the blasted halls.

"Mina!" Tsubaki shouts entering on the dinning hall. "Kohran was taken by the cannibals!" everyone gasps with shock. Benji mutters a curse and leaves the room. "I just hope that nothing happens to her." Yuri says. "If they do what Benji said that they would do if got one of us."

Maria curses Yuri in her mind for recalling everyone of a conversation during the first raids over what the cannibals might do if captured one of the girls. And in the mind of all of them is the image of Kohran being gang raped and killed. Ayame and Yoneda leaves the room too. "We will get her back." They say leaving.

Half hour later.

Benji enters on the dinning hall with Kohran over his shoulder. "Here is Kohran." He says in a angry voice looking very, very annoyed. He places her a bit roughly over a table. "Thanks Benji!" the girls says to him. Maria can't help on praising inwardly Benji skills. He is the theater special forces agent and he is doing a really good job keeping them alive.

"Here some tea." Tsubaki says handing to the man a cup of tea. Benji is covered with sooth and dried blood. Of all the Teigeki members he is the dirtier one since he is in direct combat and moving around the small paths to the entrance also make him dirty. "Thanks." He says to Tsubaki dinking the hot tea. Too thirsty to mind the bitterness and temperature he just gulps half of it down.

He sighs tired and sips the tea. With the battles the theater supply got much thinner. But lasted more or less the predicted time. Kanna sighs tired. She as well all the others grew thinner over the three months on the wasteland. Benji is in a slighter better shape that her. But even with his almost tripled rations it wasn't enough to prevent the ninja of growing much thinner. Only one time a girl complained over the arrangement. It was Sumire and on that day Benji gave one third of his share to her. As well the usual share for Iris. He ate about only a half of it. And Sumire could see the difference on his performance and she never complained again.

"Benji we get more problems!" Yuri shouts. "Yoneda, Ayame, Kasumi and Tsubaki got caught!" Benji sighs and gulps down the remaining of his tea. He grabs one of the remaining knifes and begins to move out of the room. Iris and Maria follow him. Maria is with her rifle and Iris is holding a wood staff.

They reach a destroyed hall and see that the debris were removed. They move faster they reach the entrance and stood there shocked. Kasumi stood there on the entrance holding a knife covered in blood.

"They began to killing each other with out regarding sides." Kasumi says. "It was first the lack of food and water. And when we was captured." Benji and Maria understand. "It is better you all move back to the dinning hall. There was survivors and they are heading there." She adds giving the knife for Benji. "I will follow later."

They nod. Maria covered Iris eyes so she wouldn't see the corpses of Yoneda, Tsubaki and Ayame. They move by the halls and Benji kills a guard chocking him from behind. "Why we have to fight?" Iris asks crying. "Why people must die?" Benji and Maria looks at the girl with understanding. "Why we can't be friends? Try to grown crops here? Make things grown?" she continues.

Benji places one of his hands over Iris head gently patting her head. "The truth Iris is that I wanted to make thinks grow. I like to creating things." Benji says. Iris looks shocked at him. "But at this moment I can't do anything else than killing to protect the ones closer of me."

Maria looks at Iris. "I stand in the same place as him Iris." Maria says. "Now all that I can do is fight to protect my friends." Iris nod understanding. "Let's move." Benji says. And they nod and run.

They arrive in the dinning hall only to found it destroyed and covered with corpses of the cannibals among of the Teigeki members. "That is Sadako." Benji says moving to the rescued woman. Her face is dirty with blood and she is under two corpses. Benji checks her vitals. "She is still alive." He says placing her right arm over his shoulders and carrying her. "Kanna!" Maria says seeing the red head buried under few corpses. Maria check her. "Still alive." She whispers. "Who could have done this to you?"

"Sa…Sa…" Kanna tries to say. And Kanna says on her last whisper loud enough to Maria hear. "BENJI GET AWAY FROM HER!" Benji looks at Maria. Sadako pulls a pistol and places besides Benji head and fires. Benji falls on the floor. His hair covers his wound. But blood flows from it freely.

"Benji was the stronger from you all." Sadako says standing alone. "But he was so easy to kill." Maria grits her teeth with anger. "We rescued you. Feed you, gave you shelter and protection and you betray us." She whispers between her teeth.

"I found this gun in a cave before entering on this place. It was truly a gift from the Gods." Sadako says. "I always hated you all for being so nice." Maria fires her rifle. But with out a good aim she just rips out Sadako earlobe. Maria charge at the woman with Benji knife. Sadako and Maria falls on the floor. Sadako fires twice in Maria gut. The blonde cuts off the woman arm off by the elbow.

"Iris get the gun!" Maria shouts holding Sadako down. Iris only stares the struggle too shocked to move. "Iris………." Maria words are cutted when Sadako stabs the blonde under her chin. She just pushes the blond away and tries to gets the pistol. But she is kicked strongly on the ribs and moves to a side. Iris sees Benji falling on the floor again. With a hole on the side of his head where his left eye was. His eyelid is closed over the empty eye socket. Blood is flowing freely from the wound. Benji tries to reach the gun. But Sadako grabs him by the legs and it is cutting his right food tendons by the ankles.

Benji screams in pain but kicks the woman on the face with his free leg. Iris grabs the gun. "Iris shoot her! Kill her!" Benji shouts to the French girl who is shaking. Sadako gets up and is walking closer to Iris. Iris tosses the gun away. "Please let's stop this. We can all be friends and go back together." Iris says to Sadako.

Sadako stabs Iris by the neck. The little girl chokes in pain while Sadako twists the knife. "You are too stupid for someone who people said to be gifted." She taunts the girl who holds her wrist trying to stop her. Sadako fails to notice Benji grabbing her on a head lock with his left arm and stabbing her neck over and over again. Benji right foot gives up over the stress and they fall backwards.

Sadako tries to remove the knife from Iris neck kicking the girl face and pulling it. Benji slams his knee over her elbow making her release the knife. Benji stabs her again over her heart before they hit the ground. Benji hits a wall with his back. The corpse of Sadako is over his legs. And over Sadako lap Iris head rests.

"Everyone is dead." He whispers. Looking to the knife that he used against Sadako. "Wait! Kasumi! She is still alive!" he shouts recalling of the kazegumi member. Benji forces himself dragging his body to leave the hall. He sees Maria staring at him with lifeless green eyes. Benji closes her eyes gently. "We failed even working so hard…" he whispers to her before continuing. But Benji never completes his goal falling dead besides his fighting partner.

What Benji doesn't knew is that Kasumi was also dead. During her fight on the entrance she was stabbed seven times. She held long enough to tell the others to rush to the dinning hall and give her weapon to Benji. Then she fell dead.

End of the chapter sixteen.

Author notes:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.

Japanese glossary:

Kyuu: Nine

Juu: Ten

Juuichi: eleven

Juuni: twelve

Portuguese glossary

Um: one

Dois: Two

Três: Three

Quatro: Four

Russian glossary:

Pyat: five

Shest: six

Siem: seven

Vossem: eight.


	18. Um frio despertar

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter seventeen: Um frio despertar

Iris wakes and found her self on her bed room. Some light peers by the closed curtains. She sits on the bed and touches her neck feeling the flesh in where she was stabbed. She doesn't found any wound or sign of damage there. She runs out of the room. She sees all the others members of the Teigeki leaving they own rooms still on them sleeping clothes. Sakura runs to a window and open it up.

The sounds of the live city of Teito reach them. They all return to they rooms. After a half hour they all move to the dinning hall. The breakfast taken with a tense silence. "It was just me or you all had this odd dream where we was on a wasteland fighting against cannibals?" Benji asks breaking the silence.

And after it the room is filled with comments and outbursts. Ogami is the louder and he complains that Benji killed him. After calming down they look at the other. "It seems that we passed by something together." Ayame says to them. "Who learned anything from that dream?"

Everyone stays in silence. "Sometimes diplomacy is useless, futile and will get you killed." Benji says not even looking at Ogami. "You are right. Also being fully passive under combat caused the problem to drag longer than the needed and caused the death of us all." Maria says. Ayame nods. And the others feel the weight of the duo words.

"Being a nice guy not always pay up." Benji adds. Maria nods agreeing touching her chin where she was stabbed. "Anyway I am going to train. I need to get better." Benji says getting up. "I will join you. I hate to say this but I need to learn to fight better." Maria says. Benji nods and they leave.

"And what you all learned from it?" Ayame asked. "I learned that we all need to adapt to situations." Ayame says to them. "I learned that I need to learn to forge." Kohran says. "I believe that Sumire, Kanna and myself learned that just because our enemy is demon doesn't mean that all humans are good and those evil ones need to be fought too." Sakura says, Kanna and Sumire nods agreeing.

"And you, Ogami-kun what you learned?" Yoneda asks him. "I learned that I am not a good leader." The young man replies leaving the room. The girl's motion to follow him but Ayame prevents them. "He needs to look inside himself now. He just said that because he doesn't want to face his wrong doings." She says to them.

"Iris learned that fighting is very, very wrong. Iris will not fight no matter what." Iris says shyly. Ayame holds back a sigh.

One hour later

Benji and Maria are in the theater training room. Benji is lifting weights and Maria is pulling herself on the horizontal bar. Kanna joins the duo and they train in silence.

On his room Ogami recalls the dream and even after his death he could see the events happening. He can't accept that he made a mistake like that only to prove himself better than Benji who was actively protecting them all. And as more he thinks over it more he dislikes the ninja.

Sensing the growing stress of all the Teigeki Yoneda tells them all that the following day will be a day off as well the day after the following one. Everyone is delighted with the two days off in a row.

By the lunch Benji and the kazegumi leaves the theater to go have lunch on the ninja expenses. The four of them fill themselves with Sukiyaki, Ramen, Sushi, Gyoza and Sashimi that the ninja paid with a smile and they all ate with eager of eating those delicious foods once again after three months eating rice, dried meat and pickles.

They enter on the trio each with a very content smile. When Yuri brags about it Kanna felt a bit jealous over the feast. But since it was a payback to the trio who made him a light armor to fight, she let's slide. Besides she will stuff herself with all that and more on the following two days.

On that night

The alarm goes off and the hanagumi races to the pictures of them that leads to the dressing tunnels. And they arrive on the briefing room all dressed. After the briefing Kanna notices that Benji isn't around. "Hey where is Benji?" she asks. "He is not going?"

Ayame looks at her. "Since Benji doesn't have a koubu yet he will be aiding the evacuation." Ayame answers. Benji enters on the briefing room holding a pair of leather gloves with his teeth and buckling up a gun belt with his pistol. Unlike the clothes that he first worn when returning from Iga the one that he is using then is sturdier looking. He is wearing black denim pants with some leather belts wrapped around the legs, metal tipped combat boots, one dark blue button up shirt, a same color vest, a leather jacket and a long dark blue coat over it all. He is not carrying the katars or the fukushu and his mask is lowered on his neck.

"I am ready to go." Benji says putting on the gloves that also have metal reinforcements. "Benji you will go aid the tsukigumi to evacuate the civilians while the others will fight. Take your motorcycle." Yoneda tells him. Benji nods and moves to his motorcycle and found his two rifles placed on the two holsters on the sides of the frame, near of the engine. The hanagumi leaves on the gouraigo. Ayame and Yoneda leaves to the edge of the battle field with the kazegumi to monitor the battle closely.

The fight takes longer than the expected thanks to the large number of enemies. One of the Tsukigumi members calls Benji and tells him that Ayame ordered him to go to the tactical command. Benji nods and goes to there.

"Benji we need you to deliver this to Sumire quickly!" Ayame says showing a long parcel wrapped in a thick cloth. "The way to there by roads will take too long for be delivered and if you take more than six minutes she might die." Benji nods and undresses removing his clothes taking his pants, an undershirt and the leather jacket. He tosses his weapons over his clothes and puts on the parcel on his back and ties it tightly. Ayame hands to him two short swords from a pair of Tsukigumi agents.

"If you go in a straight line you will reach them in less than six minutes." Yoneda says pointing to the battle site far from there. Benji nods and begins to run to that direction. Some of the Tsukigumi members tries to keep up with him but Benji is faster. Benji leaps down a large stairway. He lands over a power cable and uses it as a trampoline and leaps even farther ahead landing over a building. He keeps running moving to the battle site. Benji roof hop to the location and seeing that he can't do it anymore by lack of buildings for it he jumps to the street.

He looks behind and sees a bunch of black clad creatures. Not wanting to waste time Benji keeps running. More creatures appear in front of him. Benji draws the swords and slashes the one in front of him. One of them falls with a deep cut on the neck and the other with a deep cut thru his chest. Benji turns and block a spear attack and slashes the attacker in the throat.

Benji runs by a gap that he created, more focused in delivering the parcel of a new naginata blade to Sumire than fighting. He is tackled by another creature and they roll down on the street. Benji slashes the creature throat and gets up slashing another on the chest. More creatures surround him and Benji keeps slashing them on the throats with practiced moves. After the last fall he runs away to the battle site.

Benji sees a bridge on the middle of the way and many more of the creatures there and Peçonha is among them. "Get him!" she shouts to the creatures that obey. Benji runs to the edge of the street and leaps out from it. He sees the thick layer of ice and snow over the frozen surface of the river. "Rai Bow!" Benji shouts firing a single arrow on the ice over his landing spot. He dives on the ice cold water and swims over the current coming out a couple of hundred meters bellow the spot where he entered on the water.

He pulls himself from a hole that he created on the ice. "I won't ever be repeating this stupid stunt." He mutters shivering. His alarm rings telling that his time is ending. Benji resumes his run. Now heavy with the ice cold water soaking his clothes and the parcel. Benji shivers as the water freeze on him as he run on the cold air. His run is barely keeping him hot enough to keep moving.

On the battle field Sumire curses as her naginata gets stuck on a wakiji chest. She tore from the demon chest barely avoiding an attack. She is on the back facing less wakijis than her companions since her weapon is heavily damaged. She blocks the attack from another wakiji. Before the can react a large pole is drive thru the wakiji chest. Benji lands in front of her and he removes the pole that she noticed to be a large wrench.

"What took you so long!" Sumire complains actually happy in seeing him. "The traffic was a killer." Benji replies. "Lower your naginata so I can trade the blade!" she does so. Benji opens a small panel on the weapon and removes a pin from it. He tucks it on his belt and places the wrench on a bolt and tries to move it. "Hurry!" Sumire says seeing that he isn't making any progress.

"It is stuck!" Benji groans now with his feet on the naginata and forcing the wrench with his entire body weight plus his full body strength. The metal groans when moving but it moves. And Benji manages to loose the bolt making the current blade of Sumire's naginata fall. Benji picks the other blade on the parcel on his back and places on the weapon. Sumire notices that the blade is now more similar to a normal naginata. Benji adjusts it firmly and places the pin and closes the panel.

"Give me a ride." Benji says moving on the top of Sumire's koubu and holding on the bar in the top of the koubu. "Don't get used to it!" she shouts to him. Benji gets up and picks his pistol. Sumire makes her koubu dash forward using the compressed steam jets on the feet. Benji shivers even more as the high speed wind chills him till his bones. Benji fires at some wakijis before Sumire slashes them finishing the job of reaching the other members of the hanagumi.

She makes a sudden stop when reaching the group. Benji who let go of the bar flies with the momentum and he spins on the air landing neatly on a light post. Benji ejects the empty magazine and puts a new one. The hanagumi is too focused in fighting to notice that Benji is shivering strongly from the cold.

"The poor ninja is feeling cold?" Peçonha asks mocking appearing on a near post. "You shouldn't swim in the winter and then run on the cold air. You are freezing." Benji shots her. She dodges the shot. Benji leaps attacking her while tucking his pistol on the holster. She crosses her tantos over herself to block the attack, the momentum of the taller ninja breaks the knifes when he hit them with his two feet. The impact was huge making the kunoichi falls down to the asphalt with Benji over her. She kicks Benji away before they hit the ground, still she lands painfully over her back.

Benji rolls over and moves to attack her. But Peçonha recovered and is ready to fight. She blocks Benji's punch and packs one into him. Benji blocks it and they continue to fight violently.

The hanagumi is taking care of the wakijis with ease, Kohran is the one who notices the fight between Benji and Peçonha, and tells the others over it. "We can't do anything until we finish with the wakijis." Ogami says slashing one wakiji. The others acknowledge the order and keep fighting.

Peçonha tosses Benji inside a store. "For sure all the cold that you must be feeling is slowing you down." She says mocking him. Benji knows that she is right. Even if he warms up enough to melt the ice it frozen up again stealing all his heat. Benji gets up and dodge an attack from Peçonha. He grabs her leg and tosses her against a wall, slamming her hard against it. She gets up and they continue to trade violent blows.

The hanagumi finishes up the last wakiji but they are unable to aid Benji. Since once again the pair of ninjas raised the level of the fight and are once again using post, wires and the roofs as they own arena. On the air Benji grabs Peçonha's arm and slams her on the ground before landing behind her. Still dazed by the impact she can't react when Benji draws his pistol and touches the back of her hear and fires.

Most of the hanagumi closed they eyes when seeing it. But the expected bang hasn't sounded. The hammer fell on the firing pin but the bullet doesn't fire. Peçonha leaps away. Benji leaps after her but his jump is cutted short by a fallen pillar. Peçonha vanishes leaving the hanagumi and Benji behind. The order to fall back is given and Benji rides with Sumire. No one noticed the reasonably thick layer of ice over Benji's body. On the command truck argument began with Ogami pointing Benji failure in killing Peçonha.

"The pistol misfired!" Benji says replying the words of Ogami. "That is a Kanzaki made weapon! They don't misfire!" Sumire replies angry. "It did." Maria says unwilling and Kohran nods also unwilling but confirming. "I saw it." The blonde adds. "I also saw it by the video feed." Ayame says picking Benji's gun. The ninja brushed the ice away but he is still freezing but he hides that fact.

"He pointed the pistol against Peçonha's head and fired." Ayame says pointing a box and marking her words by repeating the motion. Everyone stays in silence recovering from the shock of the shot being fired. "Benji-han you traded the bullets when we were coming here?" Kohran asks meekly. "I haven't done anything. It is exactly as it was when misfired." Benji replies after recovering from the surprise. "It is the same bullet than before."

Even Ogami swallows hard and tensely. "It is possible that the bullet would act like that when misfired?" Sakura asks lightly scared. "No. If the bullet doesn't fire when it should it is because something is wrong with it and wouldn't fire when repeating the shot." Maria answers. "And it wasn't a problem from the pistol since all the mechanisms worked as they did before.

"We can think over this later." Yoneda says breaking the tense mood. "It is cold out here and I am sure that everyone is tired." Ayame hands to Benji his pistol. And by accident she touches on his fingers. "God! You are freezing!" Ayame says now touching on his forehead. "You hair is covered with ice!" She turns to Kasumi. "Take him back to the theater now! He needs to warm up! Take him to the baths and shove him on the hot tub, then give him lots of hot sake! He needs to regain his heat before he dies!" she shouts to the Kazegumi member. Kasumi nods and drags Benji away and into a car before anyone can react or Benji protest.

The others move away after loading the koubus on the Gouraigo. They arrive on the theater and found Kasumi still on her uniform running to the bathroom with a large fuming jar of sake. Worried over her friend Kanna follows Kasumi. She sees Benji under the hot water of the tub still dressed. Kasumi calls him and he surfaces the water and gets the jar of sake. Kanna gasps in surprise when seeing Benji literally chugging down the one liter jar of sake with out even stopping to breath. He let's out a long sigh and dives again. Kasumi moves away with the jar and Kanna stays there. She stares as Benji remains underwater for long minutes.

"How he can't drown!" she asks out loud surprised with it. "Ninja training." Ayame replies entering on the bathroom with a dry set of clothes for Benji. "They can stay long periods of time underwater." Kanna looks surprised to the older woman and her shocking calm. Kasumi walks in with another jar of sake. Benji rises and drinks it. Kasumi checks his temperature. "Back to normal." She says to him and everyone else. "I think that you should sleep now."

"That sounds good for me." Benji replies with his voice showing his tiredness. "There are clothes here. We will leave to you dry up and dress up." Ayame says pushing the two girls away. Benji dresses up and leaves the bathroom. Instead of moving to his room he moves to the boiler room to sleep. Sumire sighs with fake disgust knowing that the main reason of him being that cold was because he did everything that he could to deliver her reserve blade in time.

Teito January thirteenth 1923. In the imperial theater, in the dinning hall 9:04

The breakfast is over and each member of the teigeki is returning the used dishes to the kitchen. After cleaning up Yoneda calls everyone and hands to each of them a thick envelope with the monthly payment. Most of the girls are making plans to expend it. "Benji how you got used in staying underwater for long periods of time?" Kanna asks to the brunette.

"You don't want to know." Benji replies to her. "We tossed him inside a lake with thirty six kilos of chains tying him up. Well also ten meters of rope, a straight jacket and a pair of metal balls around his ankles. It was part of his escapism training too." Ayame says answering to the red head question.

**FLASHBACK** Benji's training in Iga.

Benji is on a boat tied up with chains, ropes and a straight jacket. There are three ninjas and Ayame with him on the boat. "Well Benji-kun good luck. You already know the theory now show us on the practice." Ayame says in a too cherry tone for the training ninja taste. The trio makes Benji stand. "Bye, bye." She adds kicking Benji in the water. Before Benji sinks he shouts.

"Ayame if I survive this you will pay for this! Your…" Benji sentence is cutted while he sank. "Now he got me curious over what he were going to say." Ayame mutters sitting down and picking a book. "But you three are sure that this is the better way to train someone to stay underwater for long periods of time?" she asks to the trio of ninjas. "Yes. If they survive they will learn it well also how to escape of bindings too." One of them says. "Maybe I shouldn't allowed them to do this." She thinks looking to the spot were Benji sank. Twenty five meters bellow Benji is struggling against the chains, ropes and the jacket.

"It has been half hour. I think that you three should go down and check on him." Ayame says again. Since Benji haven't showed up she began to ask them that every minute. "He is doing fine. And he if not he is dead by now." They reply. "Boy you are so wrong!" Benji shouts leaping from the water with the rope in hands. He pulls the trio to the water and Ayame can only see the water moving with the struggle under the surface. After a while Benji panting climbs on the boat.

"Where are your teachers?" she asks. "Tasting they own medicine." Benji replies between deep breaths.

**END OF THE FLASHBACK**

"And later we send someone to retrieve the three that were trying to kill Benji." Ayame finishes. "That is inhuman! Cruel! Sadistic!" Sumire says enraged over it. "It worked." Ayame replies. "And what was his threat?" Maria asks. "He said that he would make you pay if he came out alive." Ayame blushes in a very deep shade of red while Benji smiles as a cat that ate a canary.

"That I won't be telling ever." Ayame says shyly. Seeing the reaction of the two the others decide to hide the curiosity and not ask since for sure was something horrible. A certain trio is wondering if was Benji's very painful towel flicking on Ayame. Thought they will never know for sure.

"Well I am going out." Benji says pocketing his payment. "I have plans for my time off." Ayame steps in front of him and stands her hand to him. "Hand them over first." She says to him. "Come on and if anything happens?" Benji replies picking his pistol and handing to her. "All of them." she says. "And nothing will happen." The hanagumi is confused over that.

Benji places on her outstretched hands the pistol magazines, a handful of shurikens and throwing knifes, his combat knifes and a pair of brass knuckles. "How he carry all that with out showing?" Sakura asks out of loud surprised with what Benji took from his pockets. "The butterfly too." Ayame says to him. "Come on Ayame that is not anything major." Benji replies. "Hand it over." She says back commanding. "You know that as long you don't take the vows you can't carry weapons around the city with out someone of the teigeki with you."

Benji sighs and hands over the knife to her. "Maybe is another ninja trick." Kohran says to Sakura. Ayame places his weapons over a table and frisks Benji. She pulls from under his collar a thin and flat steel knife. "Benji you really thought that I would let you go out alone armed?" she asks to him. "You let the others." Benji replies pointing to Maria and Ogami. "After you vows I will do the same with you." She says back.

Benji sighs frustrated. "Want company?" Kanna asks to Benji. "Thank but I want to take sometime alone. We have an expression back in Brazil that says 'better alone than in bad company.' You are better off with out me. Even alone I am in bad company." Benji replies with a smile. "You are not bad company." Kanna replies. "Yeah right." Sumire says sneering. She might begin to get friendlier over Benji but that won't prevent her from tossing acid remarks over him.

"I hope not seeing you anytime soon dondoca." Benji says moving away. "See you guys later." The others say they own farewells to him. Some friendly, some neutral and some with hidden anger. Everyone else decides to take his example and go out too.

End of the chapter seventeen:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima, Andou Masaki and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.

Portuguese glossary:

Um frio despertar. : It means literally "a cold wakening." I thought that would be more dramatic placing in Portuguese.


	19. Rest assured

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter eighteen: Rest assured

The hanagumi is having a nice dinner after a long day hanging around on the city. "I wonder why Benji is taking so long." Kanna says on loud not seeing the ninja on his usual spot. "He must be on the…" Sumire begins to say and is interrupted by a hand covering her mouth. "I already told you to not go out saying things like that." Benji says covering Sumire's mouth.

"How you got in?" Sakura asks startled. "By the door." Benji answers. "Benji-kun let Sumire go she is turning blue again." Ayame says. "I don't want to." He replies. Ayame glares at him and Benji let the chestnut haired girl go. She take deep breaths, Benji moves to get himself some dinner. "How he snuck around us with out any of us noticing!" Sumire asks angrily.

"He is a ninja!" all the others reply as one to Sumire's stupid question. She blushes madly for forgetting it. "So Benji-kun what you did today?" Ayame asks not hiding well her curiosity. "Nothing much. Just walked around and bought myself few things." Benji replies before beginning to eat. Ayame raises her eyebrow not sure if that is what kept him out all day long.

"By the way your koubu arrived today and in the day after tomorrow you will begin to test it with Kohran so she can do the tuning over it." Ayame says to the ninja. Benji sighs and keep eating. There is a light chat during the dinner.

Teito January fourteenth 1923. Somewhere in the city 12:09

The entire hanagumi is walking around the city, Benji included. "Now let's go to that jewel store over there." Sumire says pointing to a store. Ogami and Benji sigh as one over the idea of more shopping. Benji's watch alarm goes off. "Well I have to go now." Benji says turning it off. "And where you think that you will be going?" Sumire asks angry over it. "I have an appointment in twenty minutes." Benji replies. "That is more that you need to know. Is also my day off so I can go to wherever I want to. See you all later."

"Bye, bye!" Iris says in a cherry tone. "Bye." The others say. Benji moves away. "An appointment?" Sumire mutters as he walks away. "I am betting that he is just making an excuse to not help me shopping." "Why I haven't thought on that one?" Ogami thinks looking down to his own watch. "I hate him!"

"Well while you go pick your fancy things I will go have some lunch. It is lunch time." Kanna says. "I will go too." Sakura says and Iris seconds holding lightly on the brunette sleeve. "I am going to shop for some parts for one of my experiments I meet you guys on the restaurant." Kohran says moving away. "Well I think that I…" Ogami stops talking when seeing Sumire glaring at him. "I will buy myself few new books." Maria says walking away leaving the sailor alone with his problems. Now used to the cityscape Benji walks to his destination.

He enters on the same house that he entered on the last time that he entered on the pleasure district. "Benji-sama it is a pleasure to see you so soon." A young girl says cheerfully and with a smile to him. "I already told you girls that I don't like being called of sama. And I told that I would be coming here today." Benji replies with a smile. "Tayu is waiting for you." She says while they enter on the house. Benji is taken to a room where a woman with a very beautiful formal kimono is sited.

Benji sits facing her and the young girl moves away. "How you are doing?" Benji asks. "I am fine. Still I don't understand why you don't accept the offers of the girls and my own to repay you for your kindness." She replies with a smile. "I already said that I am flattered but I am not looking for pleasure. I don't have a need for all that money. And you all can use it better than I would." Benji says replying her smile.

"We are indeed. I am still amazed that you decided to help to fulfill my silly dream of making my girls more than geixas and prostitutes." She says. "It is a good profession as any other. But it should only be taken by those who want, not because they are forced." Benji replies. Tayu nods agreeing. "We already began the teachings and we are buying the terrains around our house. The Tayus and the girls of the others house are also agreeing and helping on this idea." She says pulling a small map of the pleasure district. "Those who can teach to the others something are teaching and those who want to learn are learning with eager."

Benji smiles. "That is something good to hear." He says. "It is. We began to build a workshop on the back, some of the girls who are teaching pottery to the others are using. And we even have two who know how to forge since they came from family who were forgers." Tayu replies. "That is very interesting. You know that the Occident loves the katana for the work of art that one of them is. For sure you can get some buyers for replicas of them." Benji says. "Any problems over the school?"

Tayu nods. "The yakuzas are angry. The girls of the houses that they run are also considering joining us. And the fact that we are refusing to pay fees are enraging them more." She replies. "I will deal with them." Benji says. "There isn't need for that. We can work something out." She says in a worried tone. "It is okay. I am the one who suggested it so I deal with them. Besides I could use the exercise." Benji replies.

"Facing yakuzas aren't an exercise." She says. "Don't worry about that okay?" Benji says. She nods defeated. "And all the girls who work here and the ones that met you want to know if you can be our shogun." She says in a serious tone. "Wait a minute you can't be serious." Benji replies. "I am just aiding you all. I don't want anything back."

She smiles. "That is more than anyone have done for us and you know that. Just the girls on my house gained enough to buy they own freedom back but they are scared of trying doing anything else because they were tainted by working as a geixa or prostitutes. They fear that no one will hire them when discovering that. And because they were sold, stole or forced to this life won't change that." She says to him in a calm tone. "The idea of a cooperative for us that would allow us to work in normal jobs for ourselves was accepted easily. But that because you convinced me to pursue my silly dream and gave me money to help it. Even you knowing that I have money to begin."

She makes a pause to refill Benji's cup of tea. "And it was a sum that allowed me to buy the properties around and the freedom of the girls who work there too. Mine would only allow to buy one or two places with yours combined changed to five plus the girls there. You not only helped us with that but you are dealing with the yakuzas too. I believe that is something that a shogun would make for his subjects. It is only right that you have a title to go with your actions." She continues.

"You are aware that I am not able to stay here and take care of you and the others and that I have responsibilities?" Benji asks to her. She nods. "I am aware as well all the others. Some of the girls have some martial arts knowledge. Those are teaching the others who are willing to learn. Our girls who can forge are making some reasonably quality knifes and hair pins to be used to fight to the others. We can deal with minor threats." Tayu answers to him. Seeing her resolve Benji sighs.

"I see. I will deal with the yakuza. But I am placing you as my second here. When I am not here you are the one who will command everything." Benji says. "I understand my lord." She says in a solemn tone bowing deeply. "You don't have to do that!" Benji says embarrassed. "Nothing of this is formal and I prefer to be treated as a friend than a lord." Tayu smiles. "I understand. I will let the others know that you agreed and your terms. You can come with more later."

Before Benji can say anything one of the girls opens the door and whispers to the Tayu. "It seems that the yakuzas decided to try something." She says. "Well I guess that I will be going to deal with them. Keep everyone inside." Benji says. She nods and Benji leaves. No one sees the fight. But the screams of the yakuzas are very loud as Benji beats them down with a pair of bokkens. After going to deal with the leaders of them Benji returns to the house.

"Well I made sure that they will leave you all alone and won't try anything else." Benji says to the Tayu while he takes out his shoes. "What you did?" she asks curious. "Well I said that if they didn't behave and began to dismantle they would be lucky if they got arrested by the police since I would make them wish for a death penalty while I killed them slowly by tossing them on a deep pit with a pack of hungry wolfs. Well that are more but you don't need to know." Benji answers casually. Tayu shivers a bit sensing that Benji wasn't casual when dealing with the yakuzas leaders.

The hanagumi is having lunch on a new restaurant in a ten stores building. In Teigeki expenses since was Ayame suggestion. All the girls are excited over eating occidental foods. And a waiter serves to them the requested fondue. All the girls and Ogami eat with eager the meal. All was going well until the dessert when Peçonha and a large army of smaller versions of the wakijis appear on the restaurant and begins to destroy it. The fight is fierce while the hanagumi tries to evacuate the civilians and fight. Peçonha smiles widely when packing a powerful kick on Sumire and making her fall out from a broken wall and to the distance ground bellow.

"Sumire!" The hanagumi shouts as the chestnut haired girl screams in fear closing her eyes waiting for the unavoidable death.

End of the chapter eighteen:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima, Andou Masaki and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.


	20. Peçonha and Veneno

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter nineteen: Peçonha and Veneno

Peçonha smiles widely when packing a powerful kick on Sumire and making her fall out from a broken wall and to the distance ground bellow.

"Sumire!" The hanagumi shouts as the chestnut haired girl screams in fear closing her eyes waiting for the unavoidable death.

Sumire feels a strong impact on her stomach as she forcibly exhales all the air of her lungs. She curses the strong pain on her stomach and abdomen, thought she is still screaming. "You can stop screaming now." She hears Benji's voice over her screams. "You are safe now." She opens her eyes and sees the ground still far from her and no longer moving at her direction. She turns her head over her shoulder and sees Benji crouched on a horizontal flagpole holding her with his right hand. She notices that he is with a scarf acting as his usual mask.

She takes deep breaths recovering from the shock. She notices that he is holding her by the sash of her kimono over the thick lace. That explained the impact on her abdomen and the pressure there. "Don't struggle or we will fall." Benji says. She nods not wanting to fall over a turned over and beginning to burn truck under her. "Brace yourself and don't scream." Benji adds.

Before she can react or protest the pressure on her abdomen gets even stronger and she founds herself being tossed on the air. Benji gets up and grabs her in a fluid and swift motion. He is now holding her on his arms and she grabs on him strongly. "I can't climb with you there." Benji says to her. "I will fall if you move me around." She replies. "I will place you on my back and you hold me around my neck and wrap your legs around my waist tightly. That way you won't fall." Benji says. She nods meekly and lets Benji move her. And she does what he told her to not even considering how exposing and intimate the two actions that she took were.

"Hold on my clothes hard." Benji says. She nods holding tightly on his jacket with her arms crossed around his neck. Benji jumps from the pole and gets leverage on a small brick and climbs on an amazing speed jumping considerable distances on each hand or foot thrust forward. Soon they are very close of the top floor where the battle is taking place. Benji sees a steel beam from a wall pocking many meters on the air indicating an explosion there. Benji grabs on it and pulls himself up strongly and he moves on the air before landing on the beam moving Sumire again this time holding her on his arms once again.

"Sumire-san!" Sakura shouts seeing Sumire safe on Benji's arms. Sumire buried her face on Benji's chest to not how high over the ground she is. She is holding tightly against him knowing that he is the only thing preventing her from a second fall. Peçonha attacks them leaping to the beam.

Benji leaps over the kunoichi and holds tightly on Sumire while he does a summersault on the air. Sumire curls on his arms holding even tighter. Benji lands smoothly on the beam and runs over it to the firm ground of the remaining restaurant floor. Peçonha turns and chases them. The hanagumi is by the door of the restaurant. "Kanna grab her!" Benji shouts seeing that the doors are being slowly closed.

He tosses Sumire to Kanna who holds the smaller girl. The doors are closed with a bars door. Benji founds himself trapped on the restaurant with about thirty wakiji like demons and Peçonha. Iris is about to shout Benji's name when Maria stops her. "He hasn't told his name to the enemy and if he does so they might track him." Maria says to them. "We need to found a way to get inside." Sumire says recovering from the ordeal of falling and being tossed. "He can't fight alone against them."

Benji grabs a one and a half meter long metal beam that was on the floor and attacks one of the demons. Since the tip is ripped if cuts the demon flesh. More ripping it than cutting, but the effect is the same. With the movement Benji slashes another one before leaping back and avoiding an attack from a third one.

Kanna is trying to break the door it won't even budge. The last two demons fuse into one. Now the creature almost reaches the ceiling. Benji avoids an attack from it and another from Peçonha. But he lost his makeshift spear. Benji tosses a broken chain on Peçonha who leaps backwards blocking it.

Benji leaps backwards and take a step to his left. The demon large axe buries itself on the wall near of Benji's head. Benji claps before hitting the demon stomach with both of his palms. "Lightning destruction arts! Explosão Espiritual Interna!" Benji says. As he end speaking the last word the demon mid portion explodes in a mess of blood, bones, organs and tissues. None of them even hits Benji. The demon fall with a sickening splat. Benji careless walks over it moving to Peçonha.

The hanagumi is stunned with the attack of the ninja. "Interesting movement." Peçonha says circling Benji, who is doing the same with her. "Just a little something that I can do." Benji replies with a smirk under the thin material of his makeshift mask. Sumire and Kanna look at the scene with anguish. But none of them want to call the attention for themselves. Peçonha charges at Benji. The ninja blocks a strong punch of the kunoichi and packs one of his own. Peçonha blocks the attack and they keep trading blows in a neck breaking speed. Thought only few of them actually connect on the opponent.

Kanna watches the match with worry and interest. "It can't be." Kanna thinks seeing the pair of ninjas fight. "I must be wrong." Benji let out a war cry before hitting Peçonha with his right knee. She flies backwards a bit. She gasps for air but stills block a second attack and punches Benji on the gut. Before he can react she holds on his neck and squeeze tight. "Now you will die." She says while chocking him. "Any last words?"

Benji grabs Peçonha's hair with his right hand. "Just one." Benji says in a cold tone. "Tamaya!" Benji pulls a thin string from his right jacket sleeve. A small but powerful explosion hits Peçonha on the forehead. When she noticed his plan she tossed him away or tried, but Benji's grip was strong on her. She shouts in pain rubbing her eyes, her forehead protection made of metal breaks and falls on two pieces on the floor. Benji skidded backwards with the throw and the impact. He rips his right sleeves, from the jacket and inner shirt as they burn with the remnants of the explosion.

He tosses the burning fabric away and slowly closes his right hand on a fist. On his forearm there is a metal pipe with smoke leaving the only opening on it. Benji removes it and tosses it away since it already fulfilled its need. "You bastard!" Peçonha says with blood running down her face with sooth on her face too. "You planned this."

Benji smiles. "Of course I did." He replies getting in other stance. "I wanted to give you few surprises." Peçonha cleans her face a bit with her right forearm. "I am flattered." She says in a provocative tone. "You know how to impress a girl." She gets on a stance of her own.

They charge at the other again. The fierceness of the fighters shocks the hanagumi. "That isn't martial arts. That is brawl." Ogami whispers seeing the combat. And he is right. There isn't a style, rules or ethics there. Only the will of kill the opponent with out harming yourself.

Benji gives a low kick that tosses Peçonha balance away. She falls on the floor. But that doesn't stop Benji of packing another kick, this time much more powerful against her head. Peçonha blocks the kick, but she still slides backwards with the impact. Benji runs after her ready to kick her again and again until it is over. Peçonha avoids the kicks and gets up kicking Benji on the back using his open guard against him. Benji's momentum plus the kick makes him fall forward.

Peçonha leaps to attack him. Benji rolls over and kicks Peçonha on the gut tossing her backwards. Benji jumps back on his feet and charges at the kunoichi. The hanagumi watch the match as entranced with the raw violence displayed in front of them. Later all of them would deny the fascination that the fight had on them.

Peçonha strikes Benji back. Benji grabs Peçonha and tosses her on the air before attacking her again this time with a wrestling move. Peçonha attacks him back and she rips the remaining sleeves of Benji's clothes revealing his tekkos. They charge at the other and with a swords strike she breaks the metal protections on Benji's arms. Benji tosses them away, he smirks at Peçonha's now broken sword. She tosses it aside. "So warmed up enough?" She asks to Benji.

"Yeah, and you?" Benji replies to the kunoichi. "Good enough. Let's take things serious now." She says. Benji nods at her words. "Taking serious? Warmed up?" the hanagumi thinks hearing the dialogue. They can't believe that they were fooling around until then.

In a blink of eyes Benji covered the distance between himself and Peçonha. A silver glean trailed on her chest as she in the same speed leaped backwards. The hanagumi stares to the knifes on Benji's hands. No one saw when Benji drew them. The front of Peçonha shirt opens with a clean cut showing much of her cleavage. This doesn't distract Benji.

Benji stance is like the one of a boxer, with his guard closed and the knifes on his hands pointing to Peçonha. "Not bad. Really fast, I almost didn't reacted in time." Peçonha says pulling her top a bit and tying the severed edges, now it seems that she is using a tankini top. She draw a pair of knifes similar of Benji's and assumes a similar stance.

For the first time the members of the hanagumi could see Benji's arms with out a layer of cloth. And as Kasumi said to Kanna and Sumire they are covered with scars forming complexes patterns of darker skin on his skin. His muscles are tense under his marked skin as he prepares to fight.

Peçonha charges at Benji and slashes him. Benji blocks with his left knife and attacks her back. She blocks with her free knife. The sound of metal clashing against metal hurt the hanagumi ears as the sparks of the blades connecting gives an eerie flash of light on the fighters' masked faces. Benji forces forward and slashes against Peçonha again. She parries the strike and gives one of her own. Benji dodges it and kicks her on the gut.

Peçonha dodges the kick leaping backwards out of Benji's range. Benji dashes after her. Peçonha attacks him and gives a thin and shallow cut on his left arm. Benji spins his body and slashes Peçonha aiming on her mid torso. Benji's attack is slightly deeper than Peçonha's and is on her navel. She kicks up and hits Benji on his right side.

Benji replies with an inverted head butt on Peçonha's chin, with the back of his head. She stumbles backwards. Benji charges at her and slashes. Peçonha blocks the slash. Kanna stares at the combat with awe. The fierce battle is beyond anything that she ever saw. Even the fights on the wasteland that she couldn't see details weren't as entrancing as the one right in front of her. Every member of the hanagumi except Iris feels an excitement as seeing the battle. Much later Maria would remember of how the mobsters of New York enjoyed the underground and much more violent naked fist boxing matches when she was still a hired bodyguard and assassin. But back them she hasn't felt a thing and the fight in front of her are making her excited over the outcome.

With an even stronger attack from them Benji's left knife break with the contact. Benji doesn't have time to be surprised. He only discards the useless bladeless hilt and attacks Peçonha with his remaining knife as she does the same. With a lucky move Peçonha disarms Benji, his knife nails itself on a wall far from his reach. Benji dodges other attacks from Peçonha.

Peçonha attacks him again. Benji holds her left wrist with his right hand and before she can attack him with her right hand Benji draw from under the remains of his jacket a small saw-off shotgun. Benji fires against her right hand. The knife shatters with the load of lead. Peçonha draw back her right hand and holds Benji's right wrist.

Unable to attack the other they reached a standoff. Ogami is wondering where Benji got that shotgun and how his knifes and the shotgun wasn't taken by Ayame. All of sudden Benji falls backwards pulling Peçonha with him. Kanna knew that was going to happen next, Benji used that same movement against her in few of they spars. Benji places his knee on Peçonha stomach and his leg is between hers and Benji kicks Peçonha strongly propelling her forward with more momentum to add to the fall. Kanna cringes recalling that the movement that Benji used, an altered tomoenage hurts a lot. And Benji said that hurts much more in men, since he altered that one to be used against men.

Peçonha falls on her back. She recovers before Benji can shoot her and kicks his hand away. The shot hits harmless a wall. Benji tosses the gun away and races to get his knife. Peçonha jumps back on her feet and chases Benji. But she can't prevent him from getting his knife. Benji blocks her attack, but she is pressing him against the wall.

They stay like that panting. The knifes pressed strongly against the other, in a tense silence. The hanagumi watches the match now unable to do anything else than watch. The tension around them is so thick that can be touched.

Benji forces his body forward making Peçonha fight to stay in the place while he slowly moves forward pushing her back. Peçonha leaps backwards in hope of making Benji unbalanced with the lack of resistance, but that doesn't happen. Benji sheathes his knife on a swift move packs a spinning high kick in a capoeira like style. Peçonha moves backwards to avoid the hit. Back over his feet Benji tosses half of a brick against her. Peçonha blocks it, but the tackle that followed the brick was unnoticed by the kunoichi.

Benji's momentum and a continuous run make them hit a wall hard. Peçonha gasps with pain being crushed against the wall. But she reacts and smashes her forehead against Benji's. Not waiting for the blow Benji can't react when she pushes the wall with her arms making them move backwards. Benji recovers and moves to the wall. But Peçonha leaps away. Instead of hitting the wall Benji jumps and slam his feet on the wall and thrust to tackle Peçonha again.

She leaps out of the way sheathing her knife. Benji rolls over and get on his feet. Once again they charge at the other. Benji packs a strong punch on Peçonha's jaw. She stumbles a bit and Benji moves to pack another blow. Peçonha blocks the attack still Benji's momentum makes her stumble backwards.

She kicks him on the stomach. Getting an open guard she continues to attack. But the others blows are blocked. Benji packs a kick of his own. Peçonha grabs his leg and tosses Benji very hard into the floor. He lands chest first. He gasps painfully having all his air expelled from his lungs violently. Peçonha leaps to stomp over his back. Benji rolls over on his back and spin his body tossing a powerful heel kick on Peçonha's gut.

She falls on her back painfully gasping for air. The hanagumi watch entranced as the battle comes to a halt with both fighters fighting for breath on the floor with a small distance from the other. Benji and Peçonha slowly come back to them feet. They knees seem ready to give in because the lack of oxygen. They try to take deep breaths only managing to get short and ragged ones.

Then they do something shocking. Benji and Peçonha as one turn the back to the other and take five steps forward each. Then they turned back to the other and get on a fighting stance. "We scored a double KO. Ready to round two?" Peçonha asks still recovering her breath.

"Fight." Benji replies between breaths. And they do so they trade fierce blows. Kanna, Sumire and Sakura notice that even fighting with bare knuckles both of them are keeping an eye on the other knife know very well that sooner or later one of them will get it again. Benji lands a hit on Peçonha's chest and then he swings his body and packs a powerful spinning kick aimed to Peçonha's head. But she blocks the capoeira like kick with ease and tosses Benji over her shoulders.

Benji is surprised with the perfect block, the kick was the first of a series of three, and no one in Japan knew that particular combo or the style of the first kick. Benji blocks a knife attack his own trying to leave the doubts and questions for later. Benji changes the grip on the knife and holds it regularly. He turns the blade around placing the dents of the saw as the attacking edge and slashes Peçonha.

As he expected she blocks the attack with her own knife. Benji positioned the knife in a way that the wire bender is holding the other blade, using his own knife breaking attack. Then he noticed that Peçonha did the exact same thing with hers. Benji is aware that to break the knife luck is a major factor and that the wire bender is the weakest spot of the knife. The duo raise they wrists and twist and pull the knifes.

The result was the expected. The blade broke. But not one, but both of them. Benji is surprised with the action of the kunoichi. No one else but him knew that attack, he created it himself because the numbers of knife fights that he faced and the knife that he used. Only one person back on his own world knew the details of the attack.

Benji reacts quickly and grabs Peçonha's shoulders and hit her stomach with his knee. He let her go stumbling on her momentum and he packs another punch on her. She blocks and punches him back. She grabs Benji's right arm and twists it forcing him to take a knee. She makes more pressure and half sits over his back putting all her weight on him. "Now you lost." She says to him. "This is your strong arm."

"That is what you got wrong this isn't over." Benji replies and Peçonha feels the cold touch of a blade on the back of her right thigh. She looks down and sees Benji holding firmly on his left hand his broke knife edge, some blood drips from his hand. "So if I take your arm you will take my leg." She says understanding the position that they are in.

She forces his arm and his shoulder moves out of the place with a painful snap. When she began Benji forced the knife down on her flesh and ripped it down. Both leap backwards nursing they wounded limbs. They stare at the other for few moments. Peçonha grabs a fallen table cloth and begin to dress her wound. Benji moves to a pillar and slams his right shoulder there until it snaps back in place painfully.

They turn to face the other, know that they are both with severe handicaps. Benji ties the knife blade on his right hand, not sure if he will be able to hold it on place. Peçonha places a piece of debris inside the remaining cloth that she picked intending to use it as a flail. There is a heavy silence as the two tired fighters get ready to the last strike.

Benji and Peçonha once again charge at the other. The motion if cutted short by a missile hitting the floor between them. Both ninjas leaps backwards to avoid the fall. Everyone begins to follow the steam trail to locate the shooter. Benji sees Tsubaki with a steam powered rocket launcher on a nearby tower.

On the moment the duo stops and notices that the building is burning. The hanagumi fascination is broken by the rocket and Ogami begins to shout orders for them to leave quickly. They obey, but Sumire and Kanna obey hesitating since Benji is still locked on the room. Benji runs after Peçonha who is leaping out from the building thru a broken wall.

Setsuna appears and takes Peçonha away. Benji curses and lands on a power wire that slows him down. Then he makes to the ground in smooth motion.

Not only is the Kazegumi there, but also the Tsukigumi and the firefighters too. The Hanagumi leave by the second floor fire stair. Benji is leaning on a fire truck untying the knife from his hand in slow and tired movements. When the hanagumi reaches the ground the edge falls from his hand and he looks at the long cut on his palm.

Before he can do anything he is shocked by a patented Iris tackling hug performed by Sumire. The rest of the hanagumi is also shocked by it. But Maria recalls that Benji arrived with Sumire on his arms after she fell to her death. And was easy for them understand what happened.

"Daijobu ka!" Sumire asks checking Benji. It was a silly question considering the massive fight that he fought. And Sumire notices the dark stain on the dark red fabric. "Blood!" she says removing it from Benji. His face is dirty with dried blood mixed with fresh blood. She sees the state of his hands. His knuckles torn and scrapped bare thru his leather gloves, his palms cutted by holding the knife edge. Blood runs freely thru those wounds falling in thick drops.

Sumire calls a paramedic to treat Benji. Soon Benji is dragged to the hospital unwilling the others went too so check for wounds or smoke inhalation. "What you mean by minor wounds!" Sumire shouts to a doctor. "I saw the fight! He must have broken something!" The elder doctor with patience replies. "He is a strong lad. Very well trained and with thick muscles under his skin and between his bones. He got hundreds of bruises but nothing other than that. Even his right shoulder is in fine shape considering that was dislocated, his cuts are superficial and the scraps too."

Everyone on the hanagumi is surprised. The fight was fierce and they saw the damages but know that they were not life threatening was a shock. Benji leaves a room closing his former leather jacket now turned into a leather vest. "I told that wasn't much. Just a cutted lip and eyebrow." Benji adds backing up the doctor. The outburst was so loud that he heard inside the room. "Thought I am sore as hell."

Everyone wanted to protests over the state of the ninja. But Ayame cuts in and they return to the theater. Back in there she asks Benji. "Where you got the shotgun?" she shows to him the altered gun that he used. "When I went to that rescue mission." Benji replies. "I kept it after I took from one of the terrorists."

"You hide it from me." Ayame says correcting. "Yes. Because you have the bad hobby of taking away my weapons when I leave. And don't come telling me that nothing happens. You know that happen and today happened." Benji shots back at her picking his gun rather harshly. "He does have a point in that." Kanna butts in gaining a glare from Ayame and quickly jumping away from the talk.

Ayame and Benji are now on a full powerful staring match and the level of the glares of them is high enough to make the hanagumi back away. One by one the hanagumi moves away leaving the duo to deal with they own problems.

Teito January fifteenth 1923. Imperial theater 11:37 AM

Benji is putting on a black button up shirt. "It is beyond doubts." He thinks with a serious expression on his face. "It has to be her. She is the only one who knows those two techniques. The only person that I confided the secret of them." He puts a black leather jacket and closes it, he fasten two belts around his chest forming an 'X' that is holding a pair of holsters. "It is my job to deal with her. And I will deliver it to her personally." He puts on fingerless gloves before putting on his gauntlets and closing them.

"I will stop you myself Lisa." Benji whispers locking close his left gauntlet. There is a knock on the door. "Benji, it is time for you to take the vows to officially join the defense force." Kasumi voices say behind his bedroom door. "I am going." Benji replies picking the last of his weapons and placing on his belt. He opens the door. Kasumi looks at him impressed. He is wearing a black version of an altered uniform similar to the girls, the boots are sturdier looking, the knees and elbows have visible reinforcements, the legs have holsters on the other thigh, and the jacket is cutted in a similar way of Ogami's but longer as a coat or a cloak.

"You are looking good on your uniform Benji." Kasumi says after scanning him. "Thank you." Benji replies putting on his mask pulling up over his nose. "But when I am fighting outside the koubu and with the mask call me Veneno."

Kasumi nods not knowing what the name means but she will obey and tell the others to do so. They move away to the base. "I will stop you." Benji thinks following Kasumi. "You gave me hints that took me a while to realize. But I now remember, you tried to tell me that was you all the time. Since you want to play Peçonha, I will be Veneno once again. And as the name say I will kill you Lisa."

End of the chapter nineteen:

Please read and review. I will answer every review. Good or bad. If you have time to read and send a review. I will send you an answer. And I would like to thank to SilverBlue Dragon, HaruNatsu, Kanna Kirishima, Andou Masaki, Uchiha-chan and to Greyhound Master for the reviews. I am making two versions of this story. One with out explicit sex scenes and one with then. As well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile. I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.

Omakes: Where cutted scenes are placed or I make fun of other ones.

CUT!

Sumire feels a strong impact on her stomach as she forcibly exhales all the air of her lungs. She curses the strong pain on her stomach and abdomen. Benji loses his balance and both of them fall over a thick and soft mattress.

"CUT!" the director shouts seeing the scene failing once again. "For the love of God is the seventh time today!" Benji gets up rubbing his arm. "Complain with Sumire!" he replies. "She is ruining everything. Or by moving too much or for weighting too much."

"Who you are calling fat!" Sumire shouts getting up. "YOU!" Benji shouts back at her. "Geez those two are worse than me and her." Kanna mutters on her chair while watching the argument. Sakura and the others nod agreeing, each on its respective chair.

"I am the writer! So let's change the scene!" Benji says. "We throw another girl from the building!" Sumire fumes in anger. "You will be not changing the scene!" she shouts at him. "You are ruining the scene!" Benji shots back. "You are too weak!" Sumire shouts. "You are too fat!" The director groan. "Let's try again." He says. "Everybody on they respective place!"

Benji and Sumire grunt but obey. "Sumire rescue, take eight! Action!" a man shouts. Sumire jumps from her place above the cameras. "Benji you got mail!" Kasumi shouts making him turn his face to her. "AAAHHHHH!" Sumire shouts hitting face first the mattress. "CUT!" the director screams again. "We are taking five! Take Sumire to make up!"

Benji moves to Kasumi. "Thank you." He whispers giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "My pleasure." Kasumi replies chuckling. "Now you owe me a massage." "I pay up after the working hours." Benji says. "I will charge it." Kasumi says moving away.

On her trailer Sumire removes the weights that she was using to mess up with the scene, she had enough fun for the day. It costed her a lot with some of the scenes when Benji fell over her. But was worthy.

Benji and the director are seeing the eight takes. "Damn I really felt hard on her back." Benji says seeing himself falling face first on her back on the second take. "None of them are usable." The theater director says. "We need a perfect take. You had to not hold her on the fifth take?" she asks seeing Benji not every trying to hold Sumire as the planned on the take and she falling face first on the mattress. "She asked for it." He replies. "If she fails again which girl will be taking the fall?" she asks. "Maria." Benji replies.

And the break is over and they move back to the places. "Sumire rescue, take nine! Action!" And the scene was perfect.

Double KO!

She kicks him on the stomach. Getting an open guard she continues to attack. But the others blows are blocked. Benji packs a kick of his own. Peçonha grabs his leg and tosses Benji very hard into the floor. He lands chest first. He gasps painfully having all his air expelled from his lungs violently. Peçonha leaps to stomp over his back. Benji rolls over on his back and spin his body tossing a powerful heel kick on Peçonha's gut.

She falls on her back painfully gasping for air. The hanagumi watch entranced as the battle comes to a halt with both fighters fighting for breath on the floor with a small distance from the other. Benji and Peçonha slowly come back to them feet. They knees seem ready to give in because the lack of oxygen.

"GET UP!" the hanagumi shouts from them watching place. "Keep fighting!" "Peçonha-san I betted on you so get up and win!" Sakura shouts. "Get up Benji! Don't make me lose my money!" Maria shouts.

Both fighters stumble forward and fall on the floor face down. "NO!" they all shout. "Keep fighting!" Kanna shouts. "You two can't end it with a double KO!" the hanagumi grunts with disappointment over the anti-climatic end of a fight.

Catching Sumire. Benji point of view.

Sumire falls down. Benji get ready to hold her by the sash and prevent her from dying. When she passes he grabs her sash. "SHIT!" Benji shouts as the part that he held was the lace that unties making Sumire spin while falling. The sash remains on his hand as she keeps falling. "I tried." He says seeing Sumire screaming before meeting her end on the sidewalk.

Catching Sumire part two. Benji passes to Kanna.

The hanagumi is by the door of the restaurant. "Kanna grab her!" Benji shouts seeing that the doors are being slowly closed. "NO WAY!" Kanna shouts back leaping out of the trajectory of the smaller girl that hits the wall behind them. "Oowwwww…." Sumire says before fainting. "I don't want to touch a cactus." Kanna says to the others.

"You work with them?" Peçonha asks seeing Kanna kicking the unconscious Sumire and Sakura helping too. Benji is sweating in an anime like style and scratch the back of his head. "I am forced actually." He replies embarrassed. "You see it is on the contract and I have to deal with that insane crew."

"Poor you." She says. "I know. Poor me." Benji replies looking away. "You guys have a spot open?" Peçonha denies. "Nope. All filled. And you have a contract with them."

Impressing

"You planned this." Peçonha says to Benji. Benji smiles. "Of course I did." He replies "I wanted to give you few surprises." Peçonha cleans her face a bit with her right forearm. "I am flattered." She says in a provocative tone. "You know how to impress a girl. I mean it is not everyone that can order a firework show of that size."

"I had ways of making it." Benji replies pointing to the hanagumi running from a large mob of men. "It was easy setting them up with the makers. They were happy in making the show if I told them where they would be on they day off."


	21. Events

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter twenty: Events

Teito January fifteenth 1923.

Ayame looks at her protégé in the uniform changed as his requests. When he placed the weapons on the place she couldn't have felt more proud of him when he walked to the council of the elders. She could see how Benji was making them fear with his presence. Filling well the image of assassin of darkness that she and Yoneda worked hard to pass to the council saying how needed a man who fights almost like the enemy.

When it is over they take him back to the base so he can have his koubu adjusted. Kohran is eager to see the ninja and the koubu working together. After placing the weapons on his room Benji moves to the koubu hangar to get inside his koubu. Kohran is ready to take all the data from his koubu.

Unlike the Chinese girl Benji doesn't seem to be excited to get on his koubu. Benji closes the hatch after getting inside. He places the cables on the ports on his shoulders. Outside the hanagumi is around Kohran. Except Iris who is on her bedroom. They are as curious as the Chinese girl to see how Benji will deal with a real koubu. Benji sighs and turns on the koubu with his left hand before placing it on the 'sleeve' to control the left arm. Slowly the koubu begins to power up.

"So far nothing out of the ordinary." Kohran says checking the data on her screen. "Benji-han how is everything inside? How you are feeling?" she asks to Benji. "Don't feel much different than the simulator." Benji replies. "But oddly enough feels like having Sumire around me."

"That is normal considering that that prototype was the one that she used until all the changes on the koubu ended. Thought the original spirit crystal is on her koubu some of her energy must be around the koubu. It is like her scent, give sometime and it will be yours there." Kohran says. "For some reason that feel obscene." Sumire mutters half heartily. "Focus your energy Benji-han." Kohran says to him. "Okay." Benji replies doing so.

A faint pulse of energy leaves Benji's body. He covers his mouth with his right hand. "Abnormal readings! Levels of pressure and energy off the charts!" Kohran shouts as her computer begins to malfunction with the energy flow. "What is going on?" Benji thinks. "AHHH!" he screams now covering his right eye with his hand. "Feels like something is piercing its way to my brain!" he thinks thru the pain.

Blackness surrounds Benji. And he founds himself in a plain, resting against a boulder holding one of his knifes. He is no longer on his uniform but with jeans pants and dirty white t-shirt. A bunch of knights using a clothes that are a mix of Japanese and Chinese clothes pass by him. One of them stops and looks at the unconscious Benji.

"He seems to be dead. Well let me see what he carries on his bag, after all he has no need for them." he says moving to reach Benji's bag pack. Benji's eyes snap open as the man gets close of his bag. With a swift move Benji slashes the man throat almost severing the man head off. Blood gushes on him as the man dies.

Benji forces himself to get over his feet as the other knights face him, if needed he will fight as much as he can before giving his life to them. "Makoto made a mistake on trying to steal your belongings. And by our traditions you have the right over his belongings now that you killed him. This is his horse, if you get over him he is yours. If you live long enough to reach our caravan we will treat your wounds and feed you. And all that Makoto possessed in material objects that aren't from his family are yours to take." The eldest of the knights say to Benji in a serious and unemotional manner.

Benji is thinner and looks exhausted. He puts his pack over his back and sheaths the knife, wobbling in the direction of the horse. Two of the riders bet if Benji will be able to ride or not. Benji grabs the saddle and taking strength of the unknown he forces himself to ride the horse. He clutches strongly on the reins with one hand while his other is tightly holding the saddle. The elder knight smiles as they begin to ride and Benji follows them half conscious allowing the horse to follow the others.

Darkness once again surrounds him and Benji founds himself holding a young girl. He is sited on the mud with his back against a wagon wheel. She is between his legs unconscious with her back against his chest, she has some blood running from her hair washed down by the heavy rain that pours over them. Benji is covered with wounds and is holding a broken sword with his free hand. Around them there are dozens of corpses, weapons and pools of blood that mixes with the rainwater.

A group of riders approach of them. Before one of the riders with a lance try killing Benji he is stopped and a woman with a black kimono walks to him. She speaks but no sound leave her lips. Benji does the same and once again that happens. She smiles and stands her left hand towards him. And she speaks again.

Inside his koubu Benji punches the emergency opening button. The front of the malfunctioning koubu explodes open. Benji leaps from the chair ripping the cables from they sockets. His left hand tightly covering his mouth. The hanagumi shout him question that he ignores. He run pass Kanna actually making her fall down. Benji punches the closed door that explodes from the hinges in a burst of electricity. And they all can hear Benji running away from there quickly. Benji races to the public restroom and violently opens a stall and throws up on a toilet.

The hanagumi is confused over the event. Maria is helping Kanna up. And the koubu reactor explodes in smoke before the koubu stops moving with the residual energy. Everyone is charred black but unhurt. "What happened Kohran?" Ayame asks. "I am not sure. The reactions of the koubu are similar to the relates from Sakura-han incident. I mean I was expecting a strong reaction since Benji-han energy is far more active and violent inclined than ours." Kohran replies. "But not anything this violent. I need to exam the data better before I can have a good report."

"But you are not worried with the fact that Benji blasted that metal door out of the hinges?" Kanna asks pointing to the broken and badly bended out of shape door. "Not really. That was one of his attacks. Thought I am surprised that he managed to use it." Ayame replies. "Well I am going to take a bath to clean up this sooth." Sumire says all the girls follow her as she moves away. Ayame and Yoneda moves to the manager officer.

"Any idea of what went wrong Ayame?" Yoneda asks to her. "No sir. Maybe Benji's energy was too volatile since he still can't control it and backfired. We need Kohran to analyze the data to be sure." Ayame replies. Kanna who was passing to go to the bathroom stops to hear the discussion.

"And what attack was that one?" Yoneda asks. "Lightning destruction fist." Ayame replies. "What? Is that English?" Yoneda asks. "Raikou toukai genkotsu." Ayame says now in Japanese. "Or Punho destruidor do relampago, in Portuguese." "I got it. So it is an attack." Yoneda replies drinking some sake. Ayame nods. "Yes. Of the two attacks that he can perform is the stronger one. But also the most unstable." She says.

Kanna is surprised but she recalls that on the second time that they saw Benji he used that against a wakiji. Tsubaki runs thru the hall and ignores Kanna and opens the office door. "We found Benji unconscious on the public restroom floor on a pool of blood!" she shouts in a very worried tone. Ayame runs to the restroom followed by Kanna and Tsubaki.

In there they see Kasumi tending Benji. "What is wrong? He is hurt?" Ayame asks. Kasumi nods sideways denying. "He doesn't have injuries. But for some reason he fainted and his nose was bleeding." Kasumi replies to them. "Kanna help me to take him to his room." Kasumi asks to the red head who nods and they carry him away. Ayame moves to call a doctor. Two hours later the elder man leaves Benji's room. "I believe that he forced himself too much doing something and fainted exhausted. The bleeding stopped a long time ago. Taking out a minor capillary burst on his eyes he is fine." The doctor says before leaving. Tsubaki walk him away.

Ayame and Yoneda are in the training room command center and Kohran walks inside. "I finished the diagnosis of the koubu and studied the data from the test." Kohran says in a serious tone. "And what you found?" Yoneda asks. "I found this." Kohran says and Yuri types few keys and a screen shows the wave pattern of the energy during the koubu activation. "There are spikes here. Not the usual wakes with the circular form. And those are Benji-han energy pattern. Now this is from the koubu." Kohran says and Yuri types more keys. "They are similar." Yoneda points. "Wrong." Kohran says. "The energy of the crystal began in waves like all the others. But during the activation changed to spikes. And not only that." Yuri types more keys making the two patters stay one over the other. "They are clashing?" Ayame asks seeing as the higher spikes of Benji's energy collide with the energy from the koubu's spirit crystal.

"Yes." Kohran replies. "I never saw this before. But in lack of better term the koubu is rejecting Benji-han violently." Ayame pales up. "What you mean by rejecting?" she asks to Kohran. "I am not sure. Since Benji-han energy is still developing and he can't control it the koubu won't accept him. This one theory. But what I know is that Benji-han must have felt like crushed by a giant because the koubu was hammering him down with its own energy." Kohran answers.

"In other words he can't pilot a koubu?" Yoneda asks. "That would be very definitive. I can make changes on the koubu and Benji-han will learn to control his energy and maybe that won't happen. But for the time being it would be safer if he doesn't pilot." Kohran answers cleaning her glasses. "If this reaction gets stronger I fear for his safety."

Teito January seventeenth 1923.

Two days passed since the koubu incident and everything is calm and normal. Benji recovered with few hours of sleep and he and Maria began to rebuild they lost war game with more increments thanks to Benji. The levels of the challenge because them were too much to Maria refuse.

Kanna trains wondering why Benji had so much differences of herself in the energy level. Sumire is wondering something similar over the ninja. Kohran is busy repairing Benji's koubu. Sakura and Iris are playing together. Yoneda and Ayame are thinking in ways to solve Benji's problems. The Kazegumi is doing the works on the gift shop while chatting over the new play that will open on that same night.

As usual the play is a success, Benji is helping Ogami on seeing the guests out. But a familiar blonde approaches Benji. "Hi fighter-san." She says to him with a smile. Benji looks at the blonde. "You again?" Benji asks to her. "Are you stalking me?" she blushes at his words. "I am not doing that. I am here to see my cousin Sumire." She replies. "You are Sumire's cousin?" Benji asks not believing. "Yes. But my father is an American that lives on Hawaii. That is why I have light hair." She answers. "And here is a letter from Sumire's father that should be read by any suspicious staff of the theater." She hands to him a letter. He reads it and hands back to her.

"Fine I will take you to see her." Benji says and she nods and follows the ninja. He stands in front of the dressing room and knocks on the door. "Sumire you have a visit." He says to the people inside. "Visit?" Sumire asks opening the door. "Who is it?" She sees the blonde few feet away from Benji. "Eri! Oh my god!" Sumire says recognizing the blonde. "Hi Sumire. Have been a long while." Eri replies with a smile. They hug each other and Benji move away. Some of his curiosity settled down by the information of who that blonde was and why she was with Shigeki.

Sumire and Eri move to Sumire's bedroom. They chat for long minutes before Tsubaki arrive with tea and snacks for them. "Eri why you haven't told me sooner that you have arrived?" Sumire asks before sipping her tea. "I have been awfully busy." Eri replies. "Since my father made me the external affairs manager I have been dealing with the international affairs of our family company. And I came to see how everything is moving over the joint product with Uncle's company. I am here have three weeks and I finally finished everything and had time to enjoy my time here." She sighs and sips her tea. "And came see you on the stage. I admit you are your mother daughter."

Sumire chuckles. "One day I will surpass Hinako." She says on a confident tone. Eri smiles over her cousin's confidence. "By the way Sumire who is that man who escorted me to you?" Eri asks with a minor blush. "He is a nobody that was hired to fill few gaps on the staff of the theater." Sumire replies. "I am aware that he as well as you are members of the Imperial defense force. Uncle told me." Eri says behind her cup of tea.

Sumire sighs. "I am not sure of why he is part of the team. His name is Himura Benji. One night he appeared on the garden and sometime later he became a potential new member, then a member of the hanagumi." She says in a disgusted tone. "I know why he is part of the team. He fights really well. I saw him fighting twice. And in both times he saved my life." Eri replies in an embarrassed but admiring tone.

"When!" Sumire asks surprised. "The first was on the first of January and the second on your birthday night. In that time he rescued me and your father from those mercenaries that invaded the plant. The first he fought against demons and almost got killed." Eri replies in a serious tone. Sumire remembers of the state of the ninja after the fight in the shrine. And that she heard from Kasumi that he fought on her birthday night but she didn't knew any details.

"What exactly happened that night?" Sumire asks. "I don't know all but I saw him fighting against one man and that his neck was bruised. But he punched your father and scolded him for being too busy working to pay attention over you. And he told that sooner or later you would leave your ties with him to chase your own dreams." Eri replies seriously while cutting a small piece of her cake slice. "He did that?" Sumire asks meekly. "Yes. He scolded uncle badly for not even recalling that was your birthday." Eri replies.

Eri sights. "And he is handsome. I don't know from where he came but he has this ethnical charm that is very appealing and his tanned skin." She says with a blush. "You found him attractive!" Sumire asks surprised. "Very." Eri replies. "I don't know what you see of so special on him." Sumire says to her cousin. "He is tall and strong that just to begin with." Eri replies with her blush deepening. "He is considered since he scolded your father for not thinking over you. He is determinated too. He showed that when facing those demons. But I don't know much more. But what I know is that he is something worth of looking over."

Sumire blushes hearing Benji's qualities from her cousin's lips. And some those qualities she saw by herself in many others situations. Some of them he acted really considerate over her. And they continue to talk over other subjects mostly things that they could do together.

Teito January nineteenth 1923.

Sumire is on her room. Since the chat with her cousin she began to think more over Benji. After he saved her life she has doing that but now she does even more hearing that she isn't the only seeing qualities on the ninja.

Benji is with Ayame read Benji and Ayame are beating the hell out of the other using blunt swords and knifes. Kanna is watching with Maria and Sakura. The swordswoman is rather curious in seeing Benji performing his attack as well Ayame's fighting style. Iris is doing her daily quote of studies on her bedroom, while Kohran works on Benji's koubu. Ogami is helping the Kazegumi with the books.

Ayame disarms Benji with a pair of swift blows. But that doesn't make him less dangerous. With a particular swing Benji packs a high kick against Ayame's head Kanna recognize the motion, but she is surprised with the pair of kicks that followed the first as they knock Ayame down on the mats.

Ayame calls for an end and Benji helps her out of her armor. Kanna moves to help too also curious over the movement that ended the match. "Nice combo where you got it?" Kanna asks to Benji. "That is a personal move. Honestly I was only able to perform it fully and well once before." Benji answers. "I didn't have the balance or the speed to use it often."

"So can you teach me?" Kanna asks. "I don't think that you can use it Kanna. We have different gravity centers. And that is only one of the reasons that you won't be able to learn it." Benji replies.

Kanna places her hands on her hips and leans forward a bit, looking angry. "And what are the other reasons!" she asks with anger on her voice. Benji looks at Kanna chest and blush not saying anything. Ayame notices it. "I think that your breasts are also part of the reason." Ayame says. Benji nods confirming. Kanna blushes and cover her chest. "How!" she asks embarrassed.

"Benji doesn't have breasts. You have and they have a rather large mass. The motion of them would make you unbalanced. Not adding that probably would hurt with out a proper support." Ayame answers. Benji once again nods confirming. "That adding with different balance, gravity and mass centers makes impossible for you to use that movement since he created to suit his needs." Ayame adds. Kanna nods understanding. It wasn't that he didn't want to teach her. Was that he couldn't teach her a move that she couldn't perform and that she could get hurt trying to perform it. Benji leaves to take a shower, Ayame moves to the women shower to do the same. And Kanna stays behind trying to figure a way to change that combo to use it.

By the dinner time everyone is eating and chatting over casual subjects. Benji notices that Iris is looking at him from time to time seeming to be unsure of what to do or say. He knows that she is confused over the fact that he kills and fight as he does. She hates fighting. But Benji know that she needs to fight. Otherwise the hanagumi might not win the second kouma war.

Teito February tenth 1923.

Benji wakes up very early on the morning. He sits on the bed and sighs while stretching. "Damn…my body is sore today too…" he mutters picking up his CD player and leaving to the training room. After selecting a song Benji places the CD player on his belt bag and puts the headphones and performs a slow kata. Not belonging to any style of martial arts.

Ayame is the second to wake and she moves around the theater before deciding to deal with some of her chores. She sees Benji on the training room and stop to watch. Benji's movements are flowing with grace and smoothness. His eyes are closed while he moves around the room in a constant pace.

"Very pretty. That isn't something that we taught him." Ayame things not recognizing the kata. Not wanting to disturb Benji she leaves. By the time of the breakfast everything is normal once again. Sumire is pesting Benji to go with her and her cousin to Ginza district to shop with them. "We might need protection. Two gorgeous women as us are targets for fiends." Sumire says not modest at all. "As if anyone would attack a cactus as you." Kanna mutters behind her rice bowl.  
Benji unwilling agrees, but is firm that he won't be caring packages. Sumire nods unwilling, it was better than nothing. She did promise to Eri to bring Benji with her on the next time that they went shopping together.

After the breakfast they leave. Benji walks a couple of steps behind Sumire and Eri, acting as the security that she wants him to be. Back on the theater Iris enters on Benji's room looking for the writer. When not founding him she recalls of the shopping trip. She sees his pistol on his desk and moves away.

On Ginza Benji is looking around actually guarding Sumire and Eri. None of them can imagine that Benji is glad to be protecting instead of killing. Sumire and Eri look over kimonos and sashes chatting content. While the blonde think in ways to approach ninja in to a date.

"Sumire it is just me or his hair seems longer?" Eri asks to her cousin. Sumire looks at the ninja hair and recalls of how it was when he first arrived. "Now that you mentioned it is. Before was cutted short on the base of his head now is reaching the end of his neck." Sumire replies seeing the changes that passed unnoticed by everyone who sees him on a regular basis.

"You know why he is using that odd collar?" Eri asks noticing Benji's collar under the shirt's collar. Sumire nods sideways denying. But she never saw him with out it. "Maybe is like the ribbon that I use sometimes." Sumire says not knowing the why of Benji's collar. After few dozens of kimonos checked Sumire and Eri move to a café for a break. By Eri's invitation Benji sits with them.

Even with the cold Benji is having a cup of iced tea while Sumire and Eri have hot tea. The females keep chatting, Benji stays in silence looking around casually. Sumire notices when a gust of wind blew his jacket open that he isn't carrying a weapon and that makes her uneasy since Benji always carries something.

Eri is about to ask Benji something when he tenses up all of sudden. Eri and Sumire cover they mouths as if they were throw up. The sky and the air seem to turn red with different shades of red and black. Benji is looking at a tall Occidental man with a black suit and red shirt. The man short hair is neatly combed.

Benji gets up and attacks the man, who blocks the punch with a smile. "Not bad. Now I can see why she choose you." He says before punching Benji hard on the gut, sending him hard against a car. The shards of glass that flied around froze its motion on mid air. Benji rips his way out of the damaged car front and charges at the man.

Sumire froze seeing Benji's blue eyes glowing in a menacing way against the redness of everything else. Benji's fist connects with the man's jaw, but the ninja doesn't stop there. More punches follow that one on a rapid succession. Then Benji packs a powerful spinning kick that sends the man against a brick wall. The wall cracks. "Very good." The man says with a smirk. "Let me see what you have."

Sumire stares unable to move as the fight get even fiercer not understanding why they are fighting or why she can't move. And the most important of it all, why taking out Benji, the man, Eri and herself there isn't anyone else on the a little while earlier crowded streets.

End of the chapter twenty:

Please read and review. And I would like to thank everyone that have read and reviewed and to everyone that is reading this story even if you are not reviewing.

I am making two versions of this story; one with out explicit sex scenes and one with then, as well with sexual related omakes. The unedited version can be found in MediaMiner fanfiction page. The link is on my profile.

I don't own any of the songs that was sang or used as scene songs. If any of you readers doesn't know any anime song that I placed on the fic you can email me asking for it. If you have a yahoo mail or any mail that have a large storage capacity. But please only ask for the songs that I 'play' on the fic. And anime only. So don't go asking me for an anime song that hasn't show up on the fic. Depending of the song I might not even have it.


	22. Busy night

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked or thought sentences.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

;Text; Title of the scene song.

:Translations of a sentence in a language that isn't English, and small observations during the story:

Chapter twenty one: busy night

Sumire stares unable to move as the fight get even fiercer not understanding why they are fighting or why she can't move. And the most important of it all, why taking out Benji, the man, Eri and herself there isn't anyone else on the a little while earlier crowded streets.

Sumire and Eri gasp in shock seeing Benji getting up after being tossed hard against a truck. Benji charges at the man armed with an iron pipe.

The man blocks the attack with ease. Benji presses the attack until he is tossed in a car. The man now began to attack Benji forcing him to stay on the defensive. Sumire stares surprised. The fight is intense and last many minutes. Until the man just walks away from the fight. And everything returns to the normal.

Sumire looks around frantically. Benji is now sited on his chair, nothing has changed and people are talking as if nothing happened. Benji is holding his nose that is bleeding. Sumire hands to him a handkerchief wondering what had just happened. She decides to not to think about it.

Across the street Ayame on her casual clothes run inside another café. "I am sorry for the delay. It was hard to leave the theater unnoticed." She said sitting down in a table where a purple haired woman is sited. "It is okay Ayame. I kept myself distracted." She replies with a small smile.

"Have been a long time Shinobu. Where you have been all these years?" Ayame asks to the woman. "In many places, doing many things. Nothing worth of notice." Shinobu replies. "So tell me about that disciple of yours." Ayame nods. "His name is Himura Benji. He seems to have a similar kind of abilities that you have. So I wanted to know if you mind in helping me training him." She said looking at Shinobu.

Shinobu smiles looking at the other side of the street and seeing Benji with the two girls, he is still holding his nose. "I won't mind. I just saw him out there." She commented pointing to Benji. "Yes that is him. What happened?" Ayame replies. "We just got a little spirit match. Since he isn't used his nose began to bleed." Shinobu explains. "Now tell me more about him." Ayame nods and begins to tell more about Benji.

Meanwhile Benji, Eri and Sumire are leaving the café. "I don't understand why your nose began to bleed suddenly." Sumire commented. "I think that might be an after effect from yesterday test." Benji replies. Sumire nods recalling what happened. Later on that day Benji is resting on his room. Sumire is with Eri on her own room and they chat over many things.

Way past the dinner hour Benji walks around the empty theater halls. He walks with an unearthly silence worth of a ninja master. Unable to sleep Kanna was exercising a bit on her room and opens the window to let fresh air enter on the room. She sees Benji walking on the streets leaving the theater. Worried about him and his reasons she runs after him, grabbing her shoes and closing the door.

Kanna follows Benji keeping some distance between herself and him. After a while they reach a hill where Sakura went to see the city when she first arrived. Benji sits on a bench and stays looking at the city. Kanna hides behind a tree and looks at him staying there sited for many minutes. "It is kind of a sad scene." She thinks seeing him like that.

To her surprise she hears the rare sound of Benji opening his butterfly knife. She sees the silver glean of the knife, reflecting the moonbeams and as he moves the knife from her line of sight Kanna runs to him shouting his name. "Benji! Don't do that!" she shouts punching his hand.

"Kanna?!" Benji exclaims confused. "What the hell you are doing here?!" "Don't do that Benji! You can just kill yourself like that!" Kanna says not even hearing his sentences. Benji chuckles at her words and grabs Kanna's shoulders. "Kanna!" Benji says in a strong tone. The red head stop talking and look at him confused.

"Look at my feet." Benji says to her still in a commanding tone. Kanna looks down and sees the knife's edge buried in an apple halfway thru cut a slice from it. Kanna blushes deeply noticing her mistake. "You were not going to kill yourself?" she asks in a shy tone. "I don't have reasons to do it." Benji replies with a smile. Kanna blushes even more at his words. And she looks down and notices that Benji is still holding her naked shoulders and blushes more.

Benji let go of Kanna and picks his knife. Kanna sits besides him. "I really jumped to the wrong conclusions here." She muttered embarrassed. "You did. But I am glad that you worry about me." Benji commented tossing the apple in a trash can. Kanna blushes even more at his words. He cleans his knife with a handkerchief. "Why you are here Kanna?"

Kanna blushes more, now her face is redder than her hair. "I saw you leaving the theater and got worried and curious." She replied in a small voice. "So you followed me." Benji adds to her words. "Yes…" she whispers to him. Kanna takes a deep breath and looks to him. "Why you left the theater like that?" Kanna asks to him.

"I just wanted to cool off a little. Stay alone away from the theater." Benji answers with a small smile looking at the knife edge. "Then I should leave you alone. I must be intruding." She says getting up. Benji holds Kanna's shoulder with his right hand. "Now that you are here I don't mind the company." He says preventing her from leaving.

Kanna blushes at his words and the feeling of his warm palm against her shoulder skin. She allows him to keep her seated. "Why you wanted to be alone?" Kanna asks after few minutes of silence. "To think about things." Benji answered in a casual tone. "Think about what happened and what might happen."

"You sound a bit depressed about those subjects." Kanna commented. "A bit." Benji replies. "It is complex and I don't really like to think about it." "Then don't think about them." Kanna tells him. "It isn't that easy Kanna. Sometimes it just pop on my mind and I have to think about it." Benji replied.

Benji notices that Kanna shivers a little and is hugging herself to keep warm. "You should have brought your karate gi." Benji commented with a smile while placing his jacket over her shoulders. "Thanks." She whispers blushing. "I guess that I should have brought it." She looks at Benji that is now closing the knife.

"What you will do about the knifes that you lost when facing Peçonha?" she asked while looking at the silver blade dancing because his skillful moves. "I will have to find others to replace them." Benji replies placing the closed knife on his pocket. Kanna stays in silence not knowing what else to say. "Don't worry too much Kanna. I will find a suitable replacement for them. So don't frown or you get wrinkles on your pretty face." He adds in a serious tone. Benji's words makes Kanna reach a blush so red that it was a miracle that she didn't fainted from the amount of blood rushing on her face.

"Ben…Benji! Don't make fun of me!" she squeals embarrassed. Kanna isn't used to be complimented by her looks. And all the compliments that she gets are that she is looking as an attractive man for a play. Because Kanna is looking at her feet she misses Benji's smile. "I am just telling you the truth." He added increasing the depth of Kanna's blush.

Kanna can't say anything because her mixed feelings of happiness and embarrassment. "Let's go back to the theater Kanna." Benji says to her. "What?" she asks confused. "It is getting colder and you might get a cold. Besides I am feeling better now." Benji replies with a smile. "Hai." She squeals. "And thanks for making me company. This is a sign of my appreciation." He adds leaning closed of Kanna and kissing her.

Kanna's eyes go wide with surprise. The kiss is a simple one where just their lips touch but for Kanna that was a fully new sensation that she never felt before. She closes her eyes to enjoy it, not even realizing her gesture. Benji keeps the kiss for long moments. When he breaks the kiss Kanna is panting out of excitement and lack of air. Her face is in the same color of her hair.

Kanna looks at Benji now more confuse than ever. "Let's go back to the theater now." He says in a soft tone. Kanna nods to him. Benji helps Kanna to get up and they walk to the sleeping theater.

Significantly later on Kanna's bedroom, the red head can't sleep. She is still confused but excited by Benji's kiss. "He stole my first kiss…" Kanna thinks while absentminded tracing her lips with her fingertips; she still can feel his warmth on her lips even after hours passed since he kissed her. Her cheeks are still tinted with the blush that never left her face, when it first appeared when he kissed her.

"Why I can't take him or that kiss out of my mind?" She asks to herself in a soft but still excited whisper. "Do I want to get it out of my mind?" those thoughts and many more fill Kanna's mind as well many images that her mind create following the kiss. Sometime during the night Kanna falls in sleep having vivid dreams about her and Benji.

In the morning when Kanna wakes she finds the results of her dreams on her bed, sheets and clothes. Even embarrassed she can't deny how much she enjoyed those dreams and secretly hopes having more maybe if she gets brave enough maybe get another kiss from Benji.

End of the chapter twenty one:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.

Author notes: new scenarios

From this chapter forward there will be some chapters that will have different versions. As it follows this chapter the inclusion of two more 'chapters' each branching out to their own scenarios based on who Benji will meet, as some of you must know Sakura Taisen originally was a dating simulator and RPG game so I am adding a dating sim feature in this story.

As in a dating sim game the story main line doesn't change in the different scenarios, however some events does change depending of the path that you took and the girl that the main character is closer to. The main branch of the story is the chapter above, however the chapters bellow are also part of the story but branching on a different scenario.

The first of the two chapters is focused on Benji and Maria, the changes occur when Benji is about to leave the theater to take a walk, instead of meeting Kanna he meets Maria. The difference between this chapter and the one above other than the obvious changes on the path is that instead of leaving the theater alone Benji was intercepted by Maria and they take a walk together and talk.

In the second chapter Benji meets Sumire before he leaves the theater and Maria intercepts him. Sumire's chapter is shorter and less detailed by several reasons that I won't name here. I hope that you all noticed that each chapter is possible based in chance meetings and time. In Sumire's chapter Benji and Sumire hide from Maria that was walking around the theater and Benji meets Sumire when going to the kitchen where he would get the apple that appears in Kanna's chapter, in Kanna's chapter she saw Benji leaving the theater alone but in Maria's chapter Maria meets Benji before he moves to the kitchen or out of the theater preventing the meetings from the other two chapters.

As in a dating sim this was made in purpose to create a series of events that shows that is possible for every scenario occur. The story branches out but the main plot events won't change creating three versions for every chapter after this one, just chapters with dialogues or events that recall the events of a branched chapter will have the branching.

In the future of the story each scenario will have their own chapters following the main chapter as Benji and the girl of that scenario get closer and they act together more often. I apologize for the long explanation and if you aren't interested in the chapter related to the girl that 'owns' the scenario feel free to not read the chapter, please do not flame just because you don't want to see Benji paired with her.

The possible scenarios are the following: Benji x Kanna; Benji x Maria; Benji x Sumire; Benji x Sakura.

The following list are the scenarios that might be made or discarded: Benji x Maria x Kanna; Benji x Maria x Sumire; Benji x Maria x Sakura; Benji x Kanna x Sumire; Benji x Kanna x Sakura; Benji x Sakura x Sumire; Benji x Maria x Kanna x Sumire x Sakura; Benji ends friends with all the girls but ends alone; Benji x Original character.

I am listing the scenarios out of information, the Benji x two girls scenarios are most a bonus thing and less 'story' related; think as a kind of Easter egg. Sakura Taisen was a game with the possibility of ending with one of the hanagumi girls so I decided to take a path usual in bishojo games and add the multi girl or harem endings just for the fun, as well for the entertainment in the adult version of the story. I am honest with my feelings here, with the chance I as many others would jump in the possibility of ending with all hanagumi girls.

Now with no more stalling or explanation here is the first chapter of Maria's scenario to be followed by the first chapter of Sumire's scenario, please enjoy.

Maria's scenario; first chapter.

Chapter twenty one: busy night/shared thoughts

Way past the dinner hour Benji walks around the empty theater halls. He walks with an unearthly silence worth of a ninja master. "Going anywhere?" Maria asks leaving the library. "I was thinking on taking a walk." Benji answered looking at the blonde. "I felt like clearing my head."

Maria is aware that Benji is under a lot of pressure because his accident on the koubu, the lack of control of his spirit energy, the fights with Peçonha, among many other factors. Still she doesn't fully trust on him. "Then you won't mind some company, would you?" she asks in her usual tone. "Yours?" Benji replied. "Never, I would love the company."

Maria blushes a little and she is content that the hallway is dark and he can't see it. "Fine then." She says. "Wait me on the lobby while I pick my coat. If you leave with out me I will shoot you when you return." "I wouldn't leave you." Benji tells her casually. "As I said I would love your company." She ignores his comments and moves to her room.

Maria moves to the entry partially waiting not to see Benji there, even thought they fought together on the dead lands she still doesn't think that he would actually wait for her and because of that she is surprised in seeing him waiting for her as he said that he would. She hides her surprise and a small hint of satisfaction. They leave the theater moving to the half empty winter night of Teito.

"Where you were planning to go?" Maria asks as they walk on the sidewalk in front of the theater. "I was planning in walking around the city and maybe going to the mount Ueno." Benji answers finishing closing his winter jacket. "I didn't plan much since I just wanted to go out and reflect about few things." Maria nods understanding noticing him putting gloves on his hands.

For a long while they walk in silence on the streets avoiding areas with many people walking to diminish the chances of someone recognizing Maria. Maria thinks if was wise of her intruding on Benji's walk. He wasn't doing anything other than walking in silence on the chilly night.

"Did you ever questioned what would have happened to us if we had survived that dead grounds nightmare?" Benji asked to Maria breaking the silence and surprising her. "A bit, but I never thought about it much. We found that was just a collective nightmare." Maria answers. "Just something that happened that all of us dreamt about it."

"I just think that is a bit odd you know." Benji commented. "That all of us dreamt about it, shared the experience as if we were living it." Maria didn't like to admit but he was right, it was something really high unlikely to happen and even if she tried to use the excuse that was something to do with their spirit energy it doesn't made sense.

"Anyway it was just an odd dream." Maria says not sure if she is trying to convince him or herself of it. Benji nods agreeing. "Want to drink something warm?" he asks pointing to a small ramen store. "Sure. It sounds good to me." Maria replied moving to the shop, even being born and raised in a place where cold was common she prefers not feeling it.

They enter on the ramen shop and order some warm sake and some rice crackers to eat with it. While they wait they stay in silence, the order arrives and they sip the sake after thanking the elderly man that served them. After few more minutes of silence Maria breaks it. "You are an odd person you know it?"

Benji is surprised with her question, not much about the content but because she broke the silence, think that usually he does, not to mention that she asked him in English. "I have my moments." Benji replied casually. "You are also quite exquisite." Maria sips her sake calmly. "I can't understand you." she commented looking at her glass. "And I tried a lot. Military sometimes you seems to be an amateur, other times well trained even advanced and groundbreaking, some others you are clumsy, other refined and most of the times confusingly refined."

She makes a pause to sip her sake; Benji stays in silence sensing that she isn't done yet. "Your personality is also confusing. Most of the times you seem to be a nice guy and in few moments you oscillate between mature and childish, but when you fight you change, it is scary to see it." she continued while refilling her glass. "You fight ruthlessly, coldly and desperately. Not to mention oscillating between a novice and a skilled fighter. Outside the battle and inside you provoke your opponent; you distract him, confuse, surprise and even scare him. Sometimes you seem to be ahead of our time in what concerns combat and in other things. I don't understand you at all and I fought with you more than anyone other than Ayame."

"When you put like that you make me look like I am chaotic." Benji commented. "That is the perfect term." Maria replied sipping her sake. "You are chaotic." Benji sighs at her words, just when he thought that they could get friendly. "But I don't mean in a bad way. Odd but not bad." She added.

'Okay that feels a little better.' He thinks. "I think that the reason that Ayame had to keeping me on the defense force is exactly the fact that I am chaotic." He says to Maria. "You and Ogami just play by the book, so everyone else. You guys need someone that will make things more confusing. Fighting with too clear patterns will result in defeat." 'I saw that uncountable times in video games like Castlevania and Megaman.' He adds on his mind.

"I hate when you have valid points." Maria commented sipping her sake. "Being unpredictable is something good in battle and not to mention amusing outside it." Benji commented with a small smile. Maria sighs at his words, he had a point on that too Iris enjoyed his presence a lot, so did the kazegumi, Kanna, Sakura and Ayame, and part of the reason is that they was very curious over what Benji could do next. She will deny but that is also a reason that makes her play the war game with him, she can't foresee his movements and because that the level of challenge and amusement of the game was very high.

"I am too predictable?" Maria asks running the tip of her index finger over the edge of her sake glass. "Not really." Benji replied. "Outside the battle you aren't very predictable with some of your actions but you do keep a strict routine that makes you kind of predictable, in battle you are kind of predictable. You follow the rules too much."

Maria nods absent minded, digesting his words. She knew that he was right. She followed her personal schedule to the letter, so she did with the martial knowledge that Yuri had taught her, her usual way of acting also made her somehow predictable. She realized that if someone really tried with little effort the person would be able to tell where she is exactly in a certain time because of her strictness.

She is also aware that the others also followed the same main schedule that she does and that because they are mostly restricted to the theater they don't have many options of things to do and that make harder to have a more unpredictable schedule. And the thing most out of her schedule and planning is the single fact that she decided to tag along with Benji on his walk, taking out an occasional attack, but that she already placed as something that can happen in any moment of her day planning. She sighs recalling that she had even planned how her Sunday will be and it is only Tuesday.

"I might be trying to be too effective and plan well my time that I might be turning really predictable." Maria commented gulping down her sake. "Tomorrow at one on the afternoon you will rehearse your lines by yourself on your room." Benji says. Maria nods confirming not surprised with him knowing that. "It isn't wrong planning your day and making most of your time. But you have to be a bit flexible with it. Change your plans sometimes, or even if you stick to the planning add someone else on it. Instead of rehearsing alone call one of the girls to help you with it, do what you planned in different places, like rehearsing on the garden."

"You know it doesn't sound so bad." Maria tells him. Benji smiles with her words. "You don't have to change radically to be less predictable small changes help a lot. Besides being predictable outside the battle in the theater is good at least when we need to talk to you we will always know where to find you." Benji commented. "That doesn't sound good in some situations." Maria replied refilling her glass.

They stay in silence for few minutes, but unlike the previous one this time was a comfortable silence. "That hurt much?" Maria asks suddenly. "What hurt?" Benji asked back to her not sure of what she is talking about. "When Sadako shot you." She replied. "It hurted too much?"

"Yes." Benji answered sipping his sake. "When I turned to you when you were trying to warn me about her she shot my eye and I fell. I didn't exactly faint since I could hear you and the fight. But I was in shock, trying to recover enough to help but I wasn't fast enough." "There was nothing that you could do." Maria tells him. "Honestly I thought that you were dead. I was surprised when you began to attack her again."

"I wasn't exactly succeeded on it. I did kill her but she killed Iris." Benji says refilling his glass. "It was beyond your powers, you had severe wounds." Maria replied, then she chuckles amused. "Look at me. I must be drunk. Normally I would be the first to say that it was your fault but I tried to cheer you."

Benji chuckles too. "There is a first time for everything you know." He commented refilling her glass. "True." She replies. "I don't know what to think about the entire dead grounds incident. We all woke on our respectives beds after it was all over. But we all passed thru that and lived in that place for months."

Benji nods agreeing. "That is why I said that was something too odd and unlikely to be a dream. I felt pain." He said after sipping his sake. "So did I." Maria replied. "For that alone we know that wasn't a dream." Benji nods agreeing with her. "You felt different after it?" Benji asked to Maria. She nods confirming. "It showed a while ago, I felt considerable stronger, my eyes got sharper and my aim improved even more." She commented. "And that just naming few of them. It happened to you too?"

Benji nodded confirming. "I got stronger, faster, my endurance increased greatly, my agility and ability too, my eyes got sharper too and my spirit energy is feeling smoother lately." Benji tells her picking up a rice cracker. "That just naming the ones that I am feeling, maybe we gained a performance and abilities boost because we fought."

Maria nods agreeing with his theory; it was something bordering the insane. But they fight demons on regular basis and use spirit energy, dismissing that theory just because it was unusual and unconventional would be as denying all that they do. Maria sips her sake while looking with the corner of her eyes Benji nibbling the rice cracker that he picked up.

She inwardly sighs, wanting or not he was the most similar member of the hanagumi when comparing to her, the only that fired a gun and killed humans. Yet he was different still having his emotions and feelings, she still hasn't forgotten his breakdown during the dead grounds incident and how he got over it. She even recalls that in every time that they had confronted each other he had either acquired a draw or defeated her.

"You remember the Ai Uchi?" Maria asks to him. Benji nods confirming. "Yes." He said to her. "Sorry for hitting you." Maria tells him, she caught Benji way off his guard, fully surprising him. "Apologizes accepted." He replied when recovering. "By the way I accepted yours too." She adds. Benji nods with a small smile. It was a great step and a large victory to him. "I still don't like you." she added casually. Benji smiles and put on the counter the money for the drinks and the snacks. "And I love you." he says with a smile. "A lot."

To her shock he gently holds her head turning her face to him and he kisses Maria on the lips. Benji can feel her surprise and hold the kiss until he feels and sees her recovering from the shock and getting over the pleasure of the kiss. He lets her go and run away from the shop. "That was a delayed greeting!!" he shouts now out of the shop.

"You are so dead Benji!!!!" Maria shouts chasing him out of the store, the moment between her sited on the stall and up and running was a blur of speed. Maria keeps chasing Benji who is laughing and teasing her to get him. "Come back here and die!" she shouts at him. Benji sticks his tongue at her. "Bllllll!!! You can't get me!!!" he shouts back. Later Maria would give up on her chase as they got closer of the theater and keep just for herself that she enjoyed the chase and she would deny that she even enjoyed the kiss.

They reach the theater doors now walking on a casual pace, since the beginning Maria knew that she wouldn't catch Benji, but not even in a moment during the chase she considered to pull her revolver and ruin the fun. Currently Benji is within her reach, but they had finished the game to not wake anyone on the theater.

They enter on the theater in silence and carefully move to the bedrooms wing. They reach Maria's bedroom and the blonde unlocks her door. "Well it was an odd night." She commented. "You could try saying interesting." Benji says in a teasing tone. "Don't push it." she replies with a small frown, clearly a playful one. "I am still trying to find a suitable payback for what you did earlier."

"Well good night." Benji says with a small smile. "And I am sure that you will figure something out." Maria nods. "I will figure it out and good night." She replied. "It was enjoyable." After her last words she closes the door between them. Benji walks away with a smile, he had not only improved his mood greatly but he felt like he and Maria at least got closer as friends. "I can live with an 'it was enjoyable.'" Benji whispered moving to his own room.

On her bedroom Maria is taking out her black coat, trying to figure out the events of the night. The chat wasn't hard to figure and the contents of it was quite clear, the I hate and I love you spat was also understandable since it happened often between them, but the kiss blew off her mind when it happened and still confused her.

Maria hangs her coat and takes out her holster hanging it near her bed. She knew that Benji got her off guard with it, every time that he said 'I love you' made her confused and make her guard lower a bit. She couldn't believe on the ease that he said those words to her; the kiss used her lower guard and shattered any guard that she had left.

Maria curses herself a little, once her guard fell Maria was too surprised to react to the kiss and she found herself savoring the close human warmth of his hands and lips, even hiding her feelings and needs Maria knew that she longed for those feelings of closeness. Maria sighs taking out her daily clothes and slipping on her pajamas. She steals a glance of herself on the mirror of her closet.

"Maybe I should get something other than this…" she muttered seeing how unflattering the pajamas are, it is loose around her body hiding her curves and the plain gray color was ugly. 'They are practical.' She thinks shaking her head and making her hair move with her movement. 'I don't need pretty clothes. I am a soldier. I need practical clothes…'

End of the chapter

Sumire's scenario: First chapter

Chapter twenty one: busy night

Way past the dinner hour Benji walks around the empty theater halls. He walks with an unearthly silence worth of a ninja master. Benji walks to the kitchen; a feminine cry startles him when he opens the door of the dinning hall. Sumire is on the other side of the door and is frantically trying to regain her balance lost with the door nearly hitting her.

Benji grabs the front of Sumire's nightgown and pulls her strongly on his direction, Sumire let out another cry when hitting his chest with her body and face, she feels Benji's arms around her shoulders preventing her from falling. Sumire let out a sigh of relief resting her forehead and palms against his chest.

Sumire wonders why she isn't bothered by the fact that she is on Benji's arms again, she takes a deep breath only noticing too late that she is inhaling his scent doing so. Benji is about to ask if Sumire is feeling well when he feels her hands closing holding on his shirt. "Let's just stay like this…" She whispers softly, so softly that Benji barely could hear her request. "Just a little longer…"

'Why I don't want let him go?' Sumire asks to herself confused with her actions but feeling very comfortable with them. 'This is because the flowers? Or maybe when he saved me? Or scolding father for not being present on my life? Or everything good that he made for me altogether?'

After many minutes Sumire lightly pushes back against his chest. "Just loose the pressure a little…" she whispers lightly, Benji nods doing so. Sumire looks up to him before leaning her head on his chest, pressing her ear against his solid chest and listening to his heartbeat. She let out a tiny gasp of surprise and pleasure when feeling his palm and fingers lightly caressing her hair and the back of her head.

Sumire purrs in delight basking in those sensations. More minutes pass until Sumire slides her arms between their bodies and wrap them around Benji's neck, pulling herself closer of him, signaling with her body to him hold her tighter. Sumire tiptoes to bring herself closer of the height of Benji's lips, a small part of her is annoyed with his height since it makes hard for her reach her goal, still a much larger part of her is delighted with his height and all benefits of his tall and solid build has, she can easily feel the strength on his body just by pressing herself against him.

Sumire lightly pulls him down with her hands on the back of his neck, getting the signal Benji lowers his face to meet hers. Their lips meet and Sumire holds him even tighter. Benji lightly runs his fingers on her back while responding to the kiss and lightly deepening it as he reads the signals from Sumire.

Sumire is surprised with her actions, not to mention his actions following hers. Her mind is in a turmoil as the feelings of the kiss affect her reasoning, Benji's ministrations make her only want more and he was giving her more fueling the circle. In her stormed mind she wonders if she should be disgusted because Benji is using his tongue to stimulate her lips and tongue, she decides that feels too good to be disgusted by it and since he clearly isn't by using his tongue against hers.

Sumire feels a warm breath lightly tickling her face and registers as Benji's breathing while they hold that kiss, even overwhelmed by the kiss she easily understands how to breathe when kissing and does the same increasing the time that they can hold the kiss. Benji makes a small mental note about how fast Sumire is learning to kiss wondering that all that a woman need to entice men was a little probing on the beginning and everything else came naturally or was just Sumire's case.

Benji breaks the kiss after an unknown time, he hears Sumire letting out a whimper of displeasure at the end of the kiss. Benji lightly licks Sumire lips breaking a thin line of their mixed saliva and causing Sumire to shiver at the feeling. Benji lightly removes his right arm from hugging Sumire and adjust his left arm across her back; he moves his right arm behind her knees lowering himself a bit and with a swift but gentle sweep Sumire is now on his arms.

Sumire let out a small cry of surprise with his gesture, she finds herself nested on his arms safely as she felt few times before on that same situation, she sighs with pleasure and rests her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes to better savor the feelings. She idly notices him moving, she doesn't bother to ask where he is going with her like that or even look where they are going, she is at his mercy and control, she would deny to everyone but it was how she wanted to be, knowing that she is safe and protected, she trusts on him with their destination.

Sumire opens her eyes when Benji stops moving, she looks up to him and studies his face as he looks to a hall pressing his body against a wall, Sumire blushes at the intensity of his eyes and the way that he looked while looking at the hall. Sumire nearly jumps out of her skin when hearing footsteps, she clings at his shirt hearing Maria's boots clicking on the floor and she understood why Benji stopped and was nearly hiding while studying the hall.

Sumire holds her breath while Maria moves away, Benji moves stealthily on the hall behind Maria's back, Sumire shivers with a mix of fear and excitement. Benji enters in the library and closes the door one instant before Maria look back with the feeling that someone was behind her. Maria shivers with the odd feeling but throws it away and moves to her bedroom.

Sumire let out a sigh of relief when hearing Benji locking the door, the Kanzaki heiress savors the rush of nearly getting caught on that position on Benji's arms by Maria herself, one the loudest members of the team when voicing displeasure at Benji's presence on the team.

Benji sits in one of the armchairs of the library, Sumire moves her body adjusting herself on Benji's arms. Sumire smiles with delight feeling Benji's arms moving wrapping around her waist, she wriggles a little on his arms finding the most comfortable spot to sit on his lap with her arms around his neck. She leans forward a little and finds with pleasure that now she doesn't have to tiptoe to reach his lips, she hungrily savors that discovery kissing him again.

In her room Sumire looks at Benji and readies herself to do what she feels that has to be done. She clings on his shirt, leaning her head on his chest before taking a deep breath and looking at him.

"What we did won't change how I act during the day." Sumire said in a serious tone. "I don't regret what we did, but no one must know it. If the word that we are together spreads out it would ruin not only my reputation but my family's name. No one would accept that I am seeing a half-breed gaijin. During the day and whenever we have company I belong to Teito as its biggest star and I will treat you as I was doing before this night."

Benji stays in silence restraining his anger at her words; he had passed by something like that before and hated it. "During the night when it is just the two of us I am yours, I won't belong to anyone other than you." Sumire continued with a hint of passion on her voice. "We can't assume what we did or it would destroy everything that I have, we can't reveal to anyone."

Again Benji doesn't say anything, while he acknowledges her reasons and the fact that she has a point he couldn't help in feeling his anger boiling. He was on the year of 1920 and something and he knew the difference of what is acceptable and not when comparing to his own time.

Benji removes Sumire's hands from his shirt, she whimpers in pain with the roughness of his action contrasting with the delicate care that he was treating her. "Fine I won't tell anyone." Benji whispered walking to the window that he used to enter on the room. Sumire doesn't respond when he moves but knows that she can't let him leave like that.

Sumire runs to him and hugs him from behind. "I don't want to hide, but I have to do it." she said in a desperate tone. "No one would understand or accept it, I can't destroy my family's name, the theater reputation or the respect that the others have for me. You have to understand that I have a baggage that I can't just throw away."

Benji stays in silence trying to say something harsh, Sumire moves on her embrace and is now hugging Benji's chest, she tiptoes and pulls herself up using his shoulders as leverage and kisses him. "Please don't hate me…" she whispers tearfully. "I can't abandon everything…"

Benji feels some of his anger melting away, as washed by her tears. He kisses her forehead lightly. "I won't promise that I won't be angry at this." He whispered in a level tone. "I will try to wait until you are ready to come forward with this, but don't take too long." Sumire nodded kissing him once again, rubbing her face against his chest wiping the tears away.

Sumire let go of Benji when her tears stop flowing and let him leave her room the same darkness that covered her entry, she thinks on his words while thinking how coward she was.

In the roof Benji sits over Sumire's window looking at the distant moon on the clear winter's sky. 'It is happening all over again…' he thinks in a wistful anger. 'At least unlike Ciel Sumire does have reasons for hiding, I must be fool for doing this all over again…but I will give her time…'

End of the chapter


	23. Envoys of death

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty two: Envoys of death

Teito February thirteenth 1923

Three days passed since Benji escorted Sumire and Eri around the city and during the night spoke and kissed Kanna. The theater is filled with life while the girls perform Romeo and Juliet. Benji and Ogami dealt with the guests, the kazegumi is watching the play eagerly so is Ogami. Even curious Benji isn't on the mood for watching it his mind is filled with worries about Peçonha, his arch enemy of the Kuronosukai.

Since the fight on the suspended restaurant and his official enlistment to the hanagumi Benji knew that he would have to make truth of his words of killing her. Having passed by the dead lands fighting and killing Benji already had come to terms with killing as a soldier and a fighter, yet he wasn't sure that he would be able to do as he said that would.

The last with fight Peçonha costed to Benji his two combat knifes; he still doesn't use the Fukushu, the katana that Ayame gave to him on his first combat against the Kuronosukai. He is aware that his pistol won't do much good against wakijis and the Kuronosukai. His shotgun and Winchester also won't be of much help; on his first fight against Peçonha he damaged them severely using them as clubs.

The katars and Kruki knifes that he bought in Iga are out of Benji's limits of weapons, they still carried all the dark feelings that he felt when finding what Ayame did to him and Benji couldn't make himself use those weapons, besides Ayame kept them as part of her new weapons collection.

Sakura, Kanna, Kasumi, Tsubaki, Ayame and even Sumire tried to help Benji on deciding on his new weapons or trying to convince him to use the Fukushu, he was glad that they worry about him but he still couldn't pick anything, his only answer to their tries was that 'didn't felt right to use'.

The play ends and the guests leave the theater after purchasing bromides, posters and others small mementoes of the play from Tsubaki's gift shop. Benji and Ogami did their usual job of making sure that none of the guests would stroll into the off limits parts of the theater. After closing Benji locks the doors and does his patrol of the theater making sure that the windows were shut and doors locked.

The dinner runs smoothly and on the theater routine, Kanna and Sumire bickered about something unimportant, Sakura spilled tea on Kohran by accident, Maria ate in silence and Ogami ate while occasionally shooting glares at Benji. Ayame wasn't present neither was Yoneda, both busy in a meeting, the kazegumi had dinner chatting about the play, bromides and other casual things, Benji ate occasionally chatting with the sannin musume, Sakura, Iris, Kohran and Kanna.

Sometime before the dinner ended Yoneda and Ayame returned from the meeting and announced to the group that the hanagumi would be visiting the Kanzaki heavy industries on the next morning. The news were received with different levels of excitement the most excited one was Kohran, followed by Sumire the less excited was Benji but with a small difference from Maria's place on the rank.

Teito February fourteenth 1923

The hanagumi arrives on the Kanzaki heavy industries few minutes past nine in the morning; they are scheduled for a whole day excursion and testing few projects related to their koubus. And it was under heavy protests that Benji left one kilo of shurikens, throwing knifes, his Kanzaki made gauntlets, the shotgun and the Winchester rifle on the theater. He didn't budge in not carrying a pair of brass knuckles, his butterfly knife and his pistol with the excuse of Maria and Ogami carrying their own side weapons. Ayame gave up on that matter deciding that leaving Benji with that little of his weaponry was better than him not going there.

On this trip Eri is with Sumire's grandfather giving a tour on the facilities again and showing where the tests will take place, it is easy to notice the pride on her voice when she mentions that her family company gave some of the new technology that they will be testing. Tadoyoshi kept explaining to them about the tests, thought only Kohran was excited about it.

"We are looking forward for field test the new equipment. But to do so we need that each one of you test it here in a controlled environment and situation so if there is any flaws it won't endanger your lives in combat." Tadoyoshi tells to the hanagumi. "And what we will be testing?" Ogami asks. "I am not sure if you will be testing today Ogami-kun. We developed a new long range rifle like weapon for the koubu and I believe that Tachibana-kun will be testing that one. We are also developing a dual shotgun for Himura-kun's koubu." Tadoyoshi replies.

"Dual shotgun?" Benji asks confused. "Yes, the design it is a mix between the traditional hunting double barreled rim loaded shotgun and a pump action shotgun. But we aren't using normal shotgun shells as ammo for it, but .600 nitro express ammo." Tadoyoshi answers in a casual tone. "Wait a second that is a fucking elephant gun ammo!" Benji exclaims. "Exactly, it has the stopping power to stop an elephant in full charge, a very good penetrating rate very close of an armor piercing round. It will tear any wakiji apart easily." The elder replies content.

"Don't swear around Iris." Ayame scolds the ninja. Benji nods absentminded thinking in everything that could go wrong with that so called dual shotgun. He would be using an altered machine gun with his koubu but Benji is very aware of the dangers of having ammunition on himself under heavy fire, a stray bullet or a lucky shot could hit the ammo and it would explode inside the koubu. That is the reason that Benji was firm that he would only carry the magazine from the gun itself and nothing else, of course that was a major set back to the developing team that had to create a high capacity magazine that wouldn't be clumsy to the gun when used with the koubu, and that fact was another of the many in the pile that made the repairs of Benji's formerly Sumire's test koubu take even longer.

Tadoyoshi kept droning about more detail about the tests against marked to destruction military weaponry as steam tanks and trucks. Benji hears it half heartily, Maria pays more attention to the details, Kohran is eager to help with the tests and the others aren't really excited about it.

After a while they arrive on the first test ground. "This is a test for the new assault motorcycle that we have manufactured." Tadoyoshi explains showing to them the mentioned motorcycle. "We made many changes after suggestions from Himura-kun the sole user of the first prototype. It has an internal combustion engine that has a much better speed performance than a steam engine of the same size. After examining the first prototype engine for signs of stress, abrasion and other negatives signs of problems on the engine and structure, and repaired all the flaws."

The idea of a new bike excited Benji a little and he decided to ask few questions. "What new features were added?" Tadoyoshi smiles finally getting an almost positive response from Benji. "An accelerator lock that allows you to lock it on the place in case you need to released it. Two new gears, a rear gear and a sixth gear. A system that locks the handle bars in a straight angle in case that you need to release it. And more effective cooling system, new alteration on the engine and gasoline and air mix giving to the motorcycle the amazing speed of one hundred kilometers per hour." The elder man answers.

Benji nods understanding, the speed wasn't really high when comparing to the bikes of his time but to that time period it was the fastest ground vehicle produced other than the Gouraigo. Besides his older bike only reached to eighty kilometers per hour and didn't have more than five gears.

"You placed the jumping suspensions?" Benji asks curious. "Yes, they can easily hold a large steam car that weights two tons and the motorcycle only weights one hundred and seventy." Tadoyoshi answers, Benji is clearly satisfied with that. He had slipped many designs from moderns' motorcycles to the Kanzaki designers and engineers, not to mention other concepts as air resistance and other details that makes a car look nicer and runs better. Thought he was unable to help with more specific mechanical and engineering details.

After hearing what Tadoyoshi wanted him to do to test the bike Benji gets the key and go test it, internally hoping to take it back to the theater when he leaves the compound. The others watch with different levels of interest, Kohran crazy to drive it, Ogami and Maria curious to ride it too, Kanna curious about it since if she rode with Benji she would have a excuse to hold on him tightly, Iris looking with interest imagining how fun it would be ride it, Sakura was curious about riding it in a smaller level while she imagines how to keep herself balanced on it. Ayame and Yoneda just watch the test. Sumire and Eri kept a neutral mask while wondering in riding with Benji.

After forty five minutes of test Benji stops and gives his opinion about the bike to the engineering and mechanic crew, then they move to the bike to exam the stress on the parts and data from the sensors. The hanagumi moves to another part of the base where Maria will test the rifle for her koubu.

They arrive on the second test field and find Maria's koubu already equipped with the backpack, feeding belt and rifle on her koubu left arm. "We still haven't named the gun yet, but the rifle retracts and stay contained near of the koubu steam engine until it is activated to be used." Tadoyoshi explains to them. "The ammunition is stored inside that metal duct is where a feeding belt takes it to the gun. Using the duct it prevents water, dirt, pebbles and other kinds of dirt and foreign bodies of entering inside the gun and causing problems."

Maria nods understanding the reason. "How many rounds it has?" she asks looking at the backpack. "Two thousand and five hundred .303 rounds we thought in also mixing the incendiary and the explosive rounds on it." Tadoyoshi replies. "But because an earlier discussion with Himura-kun about the risks of carrying too much ammo on the koubu we decided to keep only with the standard rounds."

"Risks of ammo on the koubus, what kind of risks?" Kanna asks not understanding. "To begin with the explanation imagine that Tachibana-kun's cannon arm was damaged and she couldn't shoot, she has inside her koubu the unexpended ammo for her weapon, now imagine that someone shot her ammunition depot what would happen?" Tadoyoshi replies in a serious tone.

"The bullets would explode." Kohran says understanding. "Exactly and those bullets would be like fragments of a grenade destroying her koubu from inside, wounding anyone close of her and risking her life and from others." Tadoyoshi explains. "That is why we recalled your koubu and Tachibana-kun's koubu back to the factory we are adding few more layers of armor on the ammunition depots and on your rocket launchers."

Kohran nods understanding and everyone else looks at Benji surprised. "What?!" Benji asks looking at the staring hanagumi. "It was just a logical assumption that it would happen. Why you think that in war the first thing to be attacked is ammunition factories and depots? It is because they explode. Gunpowder and other propellers in bullets are highly explosive if you don't use all the bullets any lucky shot on the ammo depot can give serious damages on the koubu and I am sure that you don't want anything exploding on your koubu especially inside it."

Even Ogami had to agree with his explanation; Maria nods understanding recalling her first meeting with Miroku and how she lost her cannon arm and recalls that the ammo could have exploded on her back. "That explains why you don't take too much ammo in the koubu. But why you carry many magazines for your pistol?" Maria asks trying to find a flaw on his line of thought.

"Because if I need to use the pistol I might have to shoot many times and need ammo for it, the magazines are thicker and stronger than the normal ones and the compartments for the magazines on my holster have metal plaques on it making them more bullet resistant. But if I lose my pistol I will get rid of them quickly." Benji answers to the blonde's question.

Ayame defuses an incoming argument and makes Maria move to her koubu to test the rifle extension. Maria fires all the rounds in many situations as running with the koubu firing at several targets, jumping and firing and every possible situation using the new gun. After the test Maria gives her impressions at the gun and the engineers move to gather the data from the koubu and the gun.

The hanagumi moves to another part of the compound where they will rest a bit before moving to another test of machinery for the defense force. Iris is the less interested on the entire event, not that anyone can blain her for it. Benji and Ayame are working hard to keep Iris amused during their time on the Kanzaki industries. Sumire is disappointed since her father isn't on the factory again.

They make a break in an empty meeting room that was arranged for it and inside there are drinks and snacks for them. Kanna and Iris gladly begin to consume their shares of the offered drinks and snacks. Kohran is asking questions to Tadoyoshi regarding the koubus and other related things.

"Enjoying the view?" Eri asks to Benji who is looking out of the meeting room window. "It is a nice view. But I am just gazing out there not really appreciating it." Benji replies looking to the shorter blonde. Eri asks few more small questions for Benji. Sumire notices her cousin chatting with him; it was part of their plan since Eri confided to Sumire that she was interested on Benji. Sumire agreed to help still not sure of how she felt about it.

Kanna also noticed the event and stays in silence eating she doesn't want do anything that would embarrass him and her, even thought she wants to stop that conversation but Kanna doesn't find a plausible reason for doing so. Ayame also doesn't miss it and stays talking to Tadoyoshi, she was the one that decided that their relation shouldn't be pursued and was slowly but certainly stopping their private shows of affection. In the end she decides that is better in that way and let them talk, even feeling a pang of jealousy.

Alarm roars on the halls of the compound Tadoyoshi quickly moves to a telephone to find why the alarms, thought Benji can see part of the reason by the window, many troops carrier ships are approaching of the shore of the compound of the area of naval testings. "I don't think that those ships are test types or even Kanzaki made." He commented pulling a rifle scope from his inner jacket pocket.

"And they aren't." Tadoyoshi says after hearing a report from the security. "It seems that they are coming in two fronts, another group is coming from the direction of the front gate. Our security won't be able to keep them away." Benji puts the scope back on his pocket and pulls his pistol. "I guess that I will have to act then." He commented checking if he had placed a round on the chamber.

Maria sighs and pulls her revolver. "I will act too." She says checking the drum. The hanagumi stare at the duo in shock. "What you two are planning?" Yoneda voices the question in everyone's minds. "I was thinking in dealing with the ones coming from the ground." Benji replies. "And leave the ones by sea to Maria take down still on the ships using her koubu long range weapons." "I agree with that idea." Maria commented. 'For more that I dislike agreeing with him.' She adds on her mind.

"It sounds tactically wise. But just the two of you won't be enough there is too many of them!" Ogami tells to them. "As if those kinds of numbers stopped me before." Benji says holstering his pistol. "I think that I will visit the armory on my way to the front gate." Yoneda sighs at Benji's words, while the ninja is leaving his jacket on the meeting room table; Maria is doing the same with her coat. "I will arrange the weapons and ammo to be prepared for use while you move. The koubu ammunition will be refilled including the new test weapon; I think that you will need it." Tadoyoshi says to Benji and Maria. The duo nod and move away. "After I make the calls we move to the security room where we can monitor the events." He adds to everyone else. They all nod; Ogami is inwardly cursing his own weakness for not being able to fight against humans.

Benji and Maria run to the armory. "Do you have any other plan other than just showing up and killing them?" Maria asks to Benji. "No just that one but I plan on taking a lot of firepower to use while they are far from me before moving to short range combat." Benji replies. "I don't have anything good to use in short range combat."

Maria sighs at his words, but she is aware that is Ayame's fault that Benji is not better armed. They arrive on the armory and Benji requests the weapons that he wants, a Lewis machine gun with a 97 rounds magazine on it and ten magazines of 47 rounds, the original pair of leaver action shotgun and Winchester rifle that he left there to be repaired and gained a new pair later, three grenades, a body armor and a small radio. Maria gets just the radio and more ammo for her revolver making a total of ten filled speed-loaders.

"I hate saying this to you but good luck." Maria says while she adjusts the small radio microphone chocker on her neck. "Thank you and for you too." Benji replies doing the same thing with his own chocker. The he puts on the body armor and takes the ammo in a backpack; he adjusts the two leaver action guns in a pair of holsters on his back and picks up the Lewis machine gun. "See you soon." Benji says to Maria. "See you soon." She replies as they run to different directions.

In the security room the hanagumi and Tadoyoshi see the duo moving on TV screens. "You really think that just the two of them will be able to fend off those attackers?" Eri asks to Sumire. Sumire sighs deeply. "The two of them have a lot of experience in situations like that." It was the chestnut haired girl answer. Eri looks at her cousin confused. "You don't want to know." Sumire adds, Eri nods she knows that Sumire is most likely right about that.

Maria arrives to the location of her koubu and gets inside it; she quickly starts it and move to a near steam truck where she can see some steam rocket launchers. She takes one box filled with them and moves to the dock area where the attacking fleet is approaching. Meanwhile Benji is running thru the road that connects the main compound with the front gate. Benji can see a large mass of uniformed men marching quickly to the gate, still half kilometer away from it. Behind them there are three smoke pillars and Benji can guess that they were the three checkpoints of the Kanzaki heavy industries security.

A distant explosion echoes on the air from the direction of the enemy fleet Benji is guessing that Maria scored the first kill. Benji sees a large metal canister near of a steam truck and he grabs it not stopping his race. Benji checks the label on the canister and smiles seeing that it was indeed gasoline. Benji holds it with his right hand on the handle and spins his body once, leaps as high as he can and then tosses the filled canister on the direction of the enemy.

With satisfaction Benji sees the canister covering the distance between himself and the army going over the closest soldiers still quite high on the air. He picks his shotgun and aims to the spot where the canister will be, and then he fires the shotgun and then a single round of the machine gun.

With a deadly accuracy the all the nine pellets of 12 gauge shotgun slug hit the canister destroying it, few milliseconds later the .303 rifle round hits the mist of gasoline and metal fragments making the gasoline inflame on the air above the soldiers making rain fire over the center of the mass of soldiers.

Screams fills the air as the burning soldiers try to put out the flames on their bodies and end making more of their companions getting on fire too, causing chaos and disorder among them. Benji uses that on his favor and tosses the grenades on the mass of soldiers that wasn't near of the rain of fire diminishing even more their numbers. Few officers try in vain to control the situation and organize the troops. But Benji doesn't give them time to reorganize themselves and gives to them a barrage of lead.

On the security room everyone is stunned at Benji and Maria's actions. Maria had successfully sunk four troops' carrier ships of the twenty ships fleet in less than five minutes. And Benji is causing an uncountable number of casualties on the enemy squadron on his first and very unorthodox long range assault.

"Are those two human?" Tadoyoshi asks shocked with the effectiveness of the duo. "Yes." Yoneda replies. "Two humans very familiar to combat. Especially in that situation." "I can't believe in that…" Eri murmurs seeing the action on the screens, Sakura is holding Iris preventing her from seeing it. Ogami stares to screens clenching his teeth, now more than ever he feels anger and jealousy against the Brazilian.

On the docks Maria fires the last rocket of the box and tosses the launcher away. She levels her cannon arm against the closer transport ship engine area and fires three short bursts against the hull. The results are the expected explosion of the engine and consequently the ship explosion. She aims to the next one and repeat the process.

On the front gate Benji tossed the machine gun away after expending the last drum against the once very large squadron. He charges at the remaining mass of soldiers, pulling his Winchester rifle and shotgun, keeping one in each hand. He fires at the soldiers roughly aiming at them, still hitting them because the numbers of them.

Some of the most spirited soldiers try to attack him but Benji avoids the shots and the stray bullets hit their companions. But Benji doesn't have that problem and keeps attacking them randomly mixing bashings with the guns barrels on closer soldiers and firing at them.

When he runs out of ammo he holsters the guns and picks two fallen sabers and begins to slash the soldiers while letting out fearsome war cries. The scared and surprised soldiers try to keep up using their rifles, machine guns and even bayonets but they aren't a match for Benji and don't even score a hit against him.

Soon it is all over, Maria defeated the entire fleet before they arrived on the shore and Benji defeated the squadron on the front gate. Benji tosses the dented sabers away and walks back to the compound feeling the tiredness of fighting intensely for over half an hour.

Benji reaches the main building and sits on the ground near of the steps of the entry and lies down on the ground resting his head in a step. He closes his eyes and sighs tiredly. 'I hate this feeling.' Benji thinks recalling how he felt and feels about the battle. He still could feel it. The rush… the thrill… the knowledge that his current step might be his last one… but the fact that he was still moving and the ecstasy that it brought to him just the fact that he is still alive… he could understand why many soldiers got addicted to combat, why so many people practice extreme sports that could get them killed and do it so many times… just for that rush and thrill. Benji wants to deny it, he wants to ignore it more than anything he wants to forget it and not taste it again. Yet a part of him want more of it… he wants to deny but he is getting used to it and getting used to it is one step away from being hooked by it.

Deep in thoughts Benji's mind barely register the sounds of footsteps nearing him, but the small part that realized it knew that was friendly since he had heard that clicking of heels before. "You are a mess." A familiar husky feminine voice says with a Russian accent. "Why you are lying down there?"

Benji opens his eyes and looks at Maria. She is wearing her uniform and is looking down at him with a disapproving frown. "Well for sure I like the view from down here." Benji commented with a teasingly smile on his lips, he does have after all a pretty good view of Maria's body since she is standing directly above him, looking down to him with her hands on her hips.

Maria blushes a little at his words. "Don't temp me in pulling my gun and shooting you. Or trying to stomp your face." She warns him on an icy tone. "I am just stating a fact." Benji replies. "Anyway I think that we should go to the security room where the others are." Maria says changing the subject. "I guess so." He replies standing up and dusting himself.

"Why you bother?" Maria commented acidly, "It is not like it will make you less dirty."

Benji shrugs and ignores her comment. "How it went?" he asks already knowing how she went. "It didn't showed any troubles or situations that I couldn't handle." She answers casually, "I can say the same about you, after all I see a sea of corpses there and you are still alive." Benji nods and they move to the security room.

End of the chapter:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	24. Heavy metal knights

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty three: Heavy metal knights

Teito February fourteenth 1923

The hanagumi sees Benji and Maria entering on the security room. All the people inside the room had different opinions about the duo after seeing their performances against the attackers. "All clear." Maria tells to them. Eri stares at Benji after sparing a small glance on Maria. The long haired blonde is torn in getting closer and asking if he is hurt and her fear because of the scene that she saw for the fifteen minutes that she could endure before leaving the room with Iris.

Benji moves to an empty chair removing the armored vest and placing it besides him while he sits down with a tired sigh. Maria picks her coat with Kanna and puts it on. "I assume that the tests will be postponed to a later date, is that right?" Maria asks sitting in another chair. "Yes. We have to clear the facilities and run an investigation to find the reason of the attack." Tadoyoshi answers.

"Please tell me that you two left some of them alive." Yoneda says to the duo. "I am not sure. But they were around three hundred so some of them might be alive." Benji answers while taking out his blood stained shirt. "I am also not sure since the ones that I attacked where coming by sea. If they were carrying their combat equipment they might have drowned." Maria adds.

Yoneda sighs at their words. The others gasp in surprise because the lack of concern about the people that they just had fought. "Not that I blain any of you, it is not like in that situation any of you could leave the enemy alive." Ayame commented to the duo.

After half an hour Tadoyoshi got a report of the security of the factory that they did found few survivors in front of the front gate. The ones searching the sea only found corpses floating and few taken ashore by the currents.

The group is on the meeting room. Benji washed himself a little with a washcloth and a pail of water, he is now wearing his pants and a t-shirt since his button up shirt was too stained to be used. Maria is having some tea calmly waiting on her seat. Most of the girls stared at Benji's arms while he cleaned himself; the scars of his Raibow used on the New Year's Day are still there.

Eri is drinking some chamomile tea to calm herself. It was the third time that she was involved in a battle and by far the one that just occurred was the most scarier of them all even the demon attack on the shrine. The other hanagumi girls are still uneasy drinking tea and trying to calm themselves inwardly thinking that it wasn't their first time seeing Benji and Maria causing death to a large group of people and not caring about it afterwards. Benji is drinking some soda to refresh himself. His pistol is holstered on his left side clear on their view since Benji didn't putted on his jacket with the excuse of still being too hot from the fight.

Another alarm echoes on the factory and in a couple of screens the words emergency lockdown are blinking. Tadoyoshi runs to the computer and orders a tech to tell him what is wrong. "I don't know why the emergency lockdown was activated." The tech replies writing a series of commands on a computer. "Sir the kishi unit was activated" the tech screams when getting a feedback from the inputted commands.

"Kishi unit?!" Benji asks jumping on his feet. "Kohran!" he growls angrily to the Chinese girl. "It wasn't me!" Kohran squeals. "I only created the one that you destroyed!" "We have built three units based on the unit that was send to us to investigate." Tadoyoshi explains. "Three?!" the entire hanagumi shouts. "I had more than enough trouble to destroy one!" Benji adds.

"Sumire I will kill your grandfather" Benji shouts moving to the old man. "Easy Benji!" Kanna shouts as she and Maria hold Benji with help of Sumire. "He created more kishis! It nearly killed me and Maria!" Benji shouts struggling against them. "He got a valid point." Kanna commented still holding him. "I give you one minute to begin explaining before we let him loose."

Tadoyoshi nods and begins to talk. "We created more units because the easiest way to find problems is seeing them occurring and fixing on the prototypes. The kishi design it has a great potential as attack and defense units, we couldn't let the project stay like that." Kohran blushes with the praise about her work. "A side with ten kishi units can turn the course a war." Kohran reddens with anger and jumps at Tadoyoshi because his idea of using her designs as a weapon of war.

Ogami and Sakura hold Kohran. "You are really not helping." Ogami commented to the older man. "Benji calm down." Ayame orders to the ninja. "We need you calm since you are the one that destroyed the original kishi we need your experience." Benji nods and relax on the three girls grip.

"What changes you made on the three units?" Benji asks to Tadoyoshi. "I don't think that you would build three units exactly like the other." "A long range combat unit, a middle range combat unit and a short range combat unit." Tadoyoshi replies. "The long range unit has equipped a better targeting system and has a flamethrower and a machine gun equipped as armament."

"I am really feeling temptated to let Benji grab him." Kanna commented. Maria nods agreeing. "The middle range unit and the short range unit are closer to the original taking out a better armor and balance system. The middle range unit is equipped with a naginata and a katana. The short range one is equipped with claws, tonfas, knifes and hardened joints." Tadoyoshi continues.

"Okay Benji have fun." Kanna says letting Benji go. "Why you equipped them with weapons knowing that the original mal-functioned and attacked us?" Benji asks. "I thought that when we altered the design we fixed that." Tadoyoshi answers. "Don't worry Benji all you have to do is zap them with the Raibow or another lightning attack and they are toast." Kanna says.

"Actually thinking in electrical problems the kishi is internally covered with a thin layer of rubber." Tadoyoshi says. "Okay anyone mind if I punch him few times?" Benji asks. "I do!" Eri and Tadoyoshi answer. "Sumire!" Eri says scolding her cousin. "What? I saw the kishi in action and honestly I am angry because of that." Sumire replies. "I have the feeling that you guys used the memory of the original on the copies didn't you?" Maria asks to Tadoyoshi.

"That is right. It saved us time when programming fighting skills." He replies. "Okay then…" she says letting Benji go too. "Mind if I hit him first?" she asks to the brunette. "Be my guest." Benji replies. "Maria!" Ayame barks making the blonde stop pulling back her fist to hit the elder.

"What we need now is find a way to stop that unit before it harms someone." Yoneda tells them. "Where the unit is moving?" Benji asks to Tadoyoshi. "To the test room where the other unit is we assume that it wants to turn it on." The elder man answers. "Okay then, which unit is activated?" Benji asks. "The long range one." The elder answers."

Benji nods and picks his armored vest and moves to Kanna. "What you are planning?" Kanna asks blushing while Benji gets closer of her. "I need help to lock down the kishi. I will distract it and lock it on the room with the other one, so I need someone to lock down the door while I keep it busy." Benji answers gently raising her arms and dressing Kanna with the body armor.

"Okay." Kanna replied blushing more while Benji is with his arms around her waist adjusting the vest. "But why me?" "Because I am expecting whatever locks the door to be jammed and it will be needed strength to move it and since you are stronger than me." Benji answers her question while closing the vest. "How it is?" he asks to her.

"Kind of tight around the chest, it is uncomfortable and it is squeezing my breasts." Kanna answers in a soft whisper blushing a lot. "Bear it for a while. It is just for the time that you will be with me helping me to lock the kishi, after it you can take it out." Benji says to her in a comforting tone. She nods blushing and let out a long sigh.

Benji puts his radio back on and Maria gives her radio to Kanna. "We will give you the directions from here." Ayame says to them. Benji and Kanna nod and he leads the way out, Kanna follows still unsure of her usefulness to lock the kishi. She still hasn't got over the issues that she gained when she was defeated by the first kishi.

Kanna follows Benji keeping a couple steps of distance between them. Kanna can't keep up with Benji's speed, what he lacked of strength when compared to her he made up for speed. She can hear Ayame's voice giving them the directions around the compound. Kanna squeals in surprise hearing three quick shots from Benji's direction. She sees that he is now with his pistol on his hand and that he fired against the kishi. She didn't even saw it coming.

Sparks flies on the air when the bullets hit the kishi armor doing nothing more than giving it a light push, not even a small indentation on the armor. "Kanna the kishi is already on the test room with the middle range unit. Move near of the door and activate the manual lockdown." Ayame tells to the red head. "Ryokai!" the red head shouts running to obey while Benji keeps firing at the kishi arms to prevent it from locking the aim.

The heavy blast door slowly descends as Kanna turns a wheel as fast as she can. 'Benji was right…this damn thing is jamming a little.' She thinks forcing more the wheel while Benji reloads his pistol and keeps firing at the kishi that is responding the fire, but unlike Benji isn't hitting his target thanks to Benji's shots hitting it constantly on the arms setting off the aim.

The door is finally shut and the shots from the kishi bounce against the door. "Let's move back to the security room!" Benji shouts to Kanna while feeding on his pistol his last filled magazine. Kanna nods and they retreat to plan, knowing that they have a limited time until the two kishis escape from the test room.

On the security room Tadoyoshi informs to the duo that the estimated time to the kishis to leave the room is one hour. Benji sits on an empty chair and thinks trying to find a way to defeat the kishis. "Can we unlock the armory?" Benji asks to Tadoyoshi. "No. After the shut down and once in red alert like we are the armory can't be open." The elder replied.

"My 10mm pistol doesn't pierce the armor and we also know that Maria's caliber .45 won't do it too." Benji commented. Kohran nods agreeing, the kishi armor needs at least heavy rifle ammo to pierce it. "I don't have any kind of melee weapon that can pack enough damage on the kishis and the fire axes around the factory won't help much since they are too light."

Time passes slowly, Ogami is discussing with Yoneda and Tadoyoshi. And most of the hanagumi girls are pressing Benji for a solution for the problem; even Ogami is doing that since Benji did destroy the original unit. Benji is near of shooting someone because of the nagging and the insistence when he is trying to think.

Twenty minutes pass. Benji hits his forehead hard with his right hand palm. (Eu sou uma ANTA!!!!) He shouts jumping on his feet, startling everyone on the room. Benji runs out of the room, surprised but curious the hanagumi, Tadoyoshi and Eri chases the ninja from a rather long distance between themselves.

They hear a shout preceding two loud slams. They turn a corner and see a laboratory door crashed on the floor, ripped from the hinges and frame. Inside the laboratory they hear the sound of someone looking for something rather loudly. In the room they see Benji rummaging thru bottles of chemicals. "Ayame!!" Benji shouts shoving a bottle on her hands. "This is acid?!"

Ayame is startled but she read the label. "It is sulfuric acid." She tells him. "Great!" Benji shouts moving to another part of the lab and picking some empty test tubes and carefully filling them with the acid. "Benji-kun what you are doing?" Ayame asks confused with his actions.

"Besides cursing myself for being stupid I am preparing what might be the best chance to give some serious damages on the kishis." Benji replies. "Basic chemistry, acids corrode metals. Even thought the kishis are shielded against electric strikes they are vulnerable to chemical attacks."

Benji turns to the group holding a test tube filled with acid. "I introduce to you the **chemical warfare**." He says with a sly smile. They are confused and Benji continues to fill the tubes with the contents of the bottle, it only filled ten tubes since the bottle was nearly empty.

Benji arranges the tubes on a small metal rack with cover and ties it on his right thigh. "Okay Benji-kun you lost us, mind in explaining?" Ayame asks to him. "I will use the test tubes filled with acid as weapons against the kishis. I am not sure that they will be able to stop them but at least will weaken them." Benji answers.

"He is right Ayame-han. The acid is a good idea." Kohran chirps while looking for more acid on the shelves but not finding anymore. "I have forgotten that we are in a factory with many laboratories that work with chemicals that we could use to help." Benji explains looking on the shelves for other chemicals. "I was thinking too much in weapons that I forgot that this factory could have things that could be improvised to be weapons."

"You are looking for what?" Eri asks curious. "Mercury and silver in powder." Benji answers, not looking at the girl. "And why you need those?" Sakura asks curious. "Before I arrived on the theater I was taking certain classes and I learned about amalgam. Mixing silver with mercury and working on it properly you can have a very strong alloy. So if I get enough of it I think that I can craft something." Benji explains. "I found it!" Kohran exclaims. Benji moves to the Chinese and smile seeing a pair of large bottles filled with the silver material.

Benji picks the bottles and places on a table and looks around the lab for a mixer, a spatula and other items to work. "Benji-kun how long it will take?" Ayame asks. "After mixed I have half an hour to work with it. But I need to make a mold to shape the mix as a need." Benji answers. "And that might take a little longer."

"But it already passed twenty five minutes since the kishi was locked." Ogami says. "Then I need to find a mold soon." Benji replies looking around the lab again, Benji picks an empty cart board box and duct tape and makes the mentioned mold. He picks one of his brass knuckles and adjusts it on the mold.

"Okay guys stay back since mercury can be toxic." Benji warns them. Everyone obey, Benji covers his mouth and nose with a bandana and puts on a pair of protection goggles. He mixes the two components and makes sure to have a uniform paste. Then he pours a little on the mold and presses it making the excess of mercury to rise, he scoops it away and repeat the process. It takes him twenty minutes to fill the mold. With the leftover mixture he makes a sheath for the short sword that he crafted.

"I can't wait to it finish drying. The kishis will leave the room in any minute now. I am leaving but give ten more minutes to it to dry. I will try to get back here." Benji says getting up. "Okay. We will return to the security room." Yoneda replies. "Kohran you stay here and see if you can craft anything with the remaining material. Maria you stay here too, when it is finished deliver to Benji."

"Ryokai!" the duo shouts. "Don't forget to sharpen it." Benji says. Maria nods at his words. "Here take this just in case." Benji adds handing his pistol to Maria. "It won't do me much good but when you are out there you might need the extra firepower." "Thank you for the consideration." She replies tucking the pistol on her belt. Benji nods and leaves. The other leave too so they can instruct Benji about the kishis movements.

Benji moves on the empty halls in silence. Even with the acid tubes he is unsure that he will be able to stop the kishis. It was the safe feeling that he had when facing the first kishi, a machine doesn't feels pain or get tired but Benji does. And the kishi outweigh Benji by at least one hundred kilos, he felt that difference many times when facing the original.

His advantages over the kishi are the fact that he is much faster can move better than the machine, he can improvise and act in ways to surprise the machine and the little control on his spirit energy. Benji sighs knowing that the fight won't be easy, but he is content that now he isn't wounded as he was when he faced the original and he knows that it gives him another leverage on the new kishis since they were programmed with the movements that he used against the original.

But above the uncertain the rush is there, the thrill of the combat. He knows that he might die but he is still alive and it makes him feeling move alive than before. He knows that is the effect of the adrenaline and that he will feel it for as long as the battle takes and he knows that is addictive.

Hearing a groan from a room Benji stops and moves to investigate it. Even his priority being destroying the kishis he couldn't leave someone injured behind. He looks around what seems to be a storage room. "There anyone here?" he asks moving on the room. He finds a large bundle of white cloth and moves to it.

It is a person fallen on the ground face down. "Hang in there." He says kneeling besides the person and rolling him over. A shot echoes on the room, Benji falls on his back. He looks at the person that he had tried to aid, a man on his late thirties holding a fuming pistol on his right hand. "You are not going to interfere on this anymore." He says looking down to Benji.

Benji is just lying there with his eyes wide open. "Well I have to go now." The man says. "I have a schedule to keep here." He walks away hiding the pistol under his lab coat, he passes through the door and closes the room behind him.

End of the chapter twenty three:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	25. Death envoys against metal knights

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty four: Death envoys against metal knights

Teito February fourteenth 1923

Hearing a groan from a room Benji stops and moves to investigate it. Even his priority being destroying the kishis he couldn't leave someone injured behind. He looks around what seems to be a storage room. "There anyone here?" he asks moving on the room. He finds a large bundle of white cloth and moves to it.

It is a person fallen on the ground face down. "Hang in there." He says kneeling besides the person and rolling him over. A shot echoes on the room, Benji falls on his back. He looks at the person that he had tried to aid, a man on his late thirties holding a fuming pistol on his right hand. "You are not going to interfere on this anymore." He says looking down to Benji.

Benji is just lying there with his eyes wide open. "Well I have to go now." The man says. "I have a schedule to keep here." He walks away hiding the pistol under his lab coat, he passes thru the door and closes the room behind him.

On the laboratory Kohran hands to Maria the finished and sharpened short sword. "It is done now. I will try making something better." Kohran says to the blonde. "Okay I will deliver this." Maria replies before leaving the room. "Himura where are you?!" Maria calls on the radio. "Himura answer me!" On the storage room Maria's voice can be hear leaking from the ear piece on Benji's left ear.

"Himura!" she continues now shouting. "Himura!" Benji closes his eyes and cringes in pain. "Benji answer me now!" Maria shouts. Benji touches his torso and feels the blood slowly seeping out of the wound. He takes deep breaths and sits on the floor. "You don't have to shout Maria." Benji says pressing the talk button on the radio. "Then you should have answered me on the first time that I called you." she replies angrily. "Where are you?"

"Halfway to the test room." Benji answered while getting up. "I am with the sword and I am moving to your position." She tells him. "Okay." Benji says closing his jacket and cleaning his hand on his pants before leaving the room.

Benji arrives on the test room and sees the thick metal door very deformed and hears the impact of the kishis trying to break free. Maria arrives and shouts Benji's name while tossing him the short sword. Benji grabs it on the air and places it on his belt while waiting for the kishis break thru the door, Maria gets cover in a corner with Benji's pistol on her left hand and her revolver on her right hand.

An explosion hits the metal door and a large rip appears on it, two sets of metal hands force the door in different directions ripping the metal slowly creating a hole on the wall. Maria tightens her grip on her weapons and takes a deep calming breath, the memories of how badly she was after the fight with the original kishi are still vivid on her mind, she recalls the pain and the fact that she only survived because of Benji's help, a fact that the ninja never rubbed on her even thought she was waiting for it.

The sound of shouting in the hallway behind them surprise Benji and Maria, they see a group of technicians fleeing. Benji bolts to action and runs to the direction of the ripping door after casting a quick glance at Maria. She understood his actions and silent request, Maria runs to the direction of the technicians and fires to the air making them stop running to the danger and run back for where they can.

Near of the door Benji sees the head of a kishi; he tosses one of the acid tubes with a deadly accuracy hitting the kishi head dead on. The acid begins to eat away the metal, but the kishi levels his weapons towards Benji and fires, Benji slides under the barrage of flames and his feet hit the door. Before the kishi can do anything Benji kicks the door sliding away from it, he jumps back to his feet and runs away from the door to allow the acid to work.

Maria is surprised in being tackled by Benji, less than an instant later a spray of bullets pierce the wall right besides she was standing. Maria can't do anything while Benji continues his motion and using more of his strength tosses her like a bowling ball down the hall, Maria slides away from him while Benji runs to the other side being chased by the kishi bullets and flames.

The middle range kishi races after Benji while the long range one keeps distance, Benji dodges the middle range naginata and counters slamming the kishi against a wall. Benji punches the kishi head using the knife guard hitting exactly where the acid hitted, Benji is pleased in hearing something breaking inside. Benji jumps away and runs away from the kishi preventing being hit by a jet of flames from the long range unit.

Far from there the remaining members of the hanagumi, Eri and Tadoyoshi watch the development of the match. The technician there is trying to connect the data from the activated kishis on his computer. Ayame is cursing herself for not allowing Benji to carry most of his weapons, even thought he is already an official member of the hanagumi and his protests.

"Sumire how did Benji dealt with that first kishi?" Eri asks to her cousin. "In lack of a better way to explain he slowly damaged it until the unit was too damaged to be as dangerous as it was when activated." Sumire replied looking at the screen. "But he was also badly wounded and Maria-san actually got on his way and it troubled him. From what I heard he was severely wounded and if he kept fighting much longer he would be killed."

Eri looks at her cousin surprised. "But why you left him fight it wounded?" She asks. "No one knew that he was wounded and the kishi knew all our moves so we would just be dead weight in the combat." Sumire answered. "Like we are now, we are just waiting to him clean up that mess." Sumire let out a deep sigh. "Kanna helped him to give us more time to plan, Kohran aided by sharpening the knife that he made out of that alloy, even Maria is helping by delivering the knife and keeping the civilians out of his way." She added in a tired tone. "All of us trained a lot and fought even more but once again we are hiding in a secured room while he goes face a machine that we created. Not to mention him and Maria dealing with those armies."

In a hall Benji leaps and holds himself above the door that connects it with the hall where the kishis are moving. The mid range is the first to pass soon followed by the long range, Benji leaps to the long range kishi after tossing an acid vial on the back of the mid range kishi neck. Benji's amalgam knife pierces the right shoulder joint of the kishi rendering the arm useless.

Benji pulls knife from the kishi and run away from them before they can react. On the security room everyone is celebrating, even thought the damage is small is considerable and it rendered one of the long range kishi arms useless. "He is doing well isn't he?" Tadoyoshi asks to the hanagumi members. "He still has eight vials of acid to use." "He is doing well but I am sure that he isn't giving the amount of damage that he wanted to give with the acid." Ayame answered. "The acid is eating the outer layers of the kishi's armor but other than that isn't doing much damage and the sword isn't the best weapon in that situation."

On the halls Benji tries to think in a way to finish the kishis but he isn't coming with anything useful, he can't even use the plant terrain properly since he was only taken to a small part of it and he wasn't all that interested, Benji reaches a building facility and grabs a high pipe and pulls himself up hard. Now airborne Benji kicks the pipe getting more impulse to get higher and reaching a catwalk, Benji climbs on it and runs off avoiding a jet of flames.

The kishi climbs to the second store using a ladder in a far side of the room while the mid range kishi moves to another access trying to block Benji's path. Benji looks around trying to come out with something, looking up he sees a second catwalk above the one that he is, using the rail as leverage Benji jumps to the higher catwalk and climbs on it.

"Benji is trapped!!" Sumire exclaimed. "We have to do something!" Ayame holds Sumire's arm. "Don't rush your conclusions." Ayame says in a firm tone startling everyone, the look on her eyes scares everyone there. "He might have not realized yet but he has the upper hand on the moment." "Upper hand?!" Ogami exclaimed. "The only thing upper there is his location on the battle and that won't even last! If he had a weapon that he could use he could even had an upper hand!"

Ayame laughs, everyone looks at her confused at her laugh, it was a laugh that mixed laughing of something funny and the laugh of superiority when a person knows or have something that make him superior than the others. "He has a weapon." Ayame says with a malicious smile. "Big, strong and heavy weapon, he just forgot it." Ayame chuckles making everyone shiver with fear.

On the cat walk Benji uses the knife to cut part of the rail, a two meters long section with one of the tips near of a cross section, using the knife butt he hammers the pipe from the cross section forward making a crude spear. Benji avoids another fire blast and charges at the long distance kishi. Using a combo attack with the spear and the sword Benji hits the kishi until the machine is pressed against the railing. The kishi holds the spear with his single operational hand.

Benji leaps back releasing the spear before jumping forward twice harder and hitting the cross section with his right foot, the metal slides on the kishi's hand and the crude tip drives itself deeply on the machine chest, still using his momentum Benji kicks the kishi upwards and leaps on the air over the kishi. Benji kicks the ceiling getting more leverage before smashing his knife on the kishi's neck and his body smashing against the kishi's body. The increased momentum and weight makes the fall even harder.

Both bodies fall in a neck breaking speed, the kishi lands back first in a conveyor belt. The combined weights of Benji and the kishi, the momentum of the fall increased by the large speed generated by Benji's jumping down from the ceiling adding to the speed of the fall makes the conveyor belt break down.

The impact is so strong that the concrete floor bellow the kishi cracks. The kishi head flies away severed, the neck gushes oil and other mechanical fluids. Benji is lying with his back over the kishi trying to recover from the impact; Benji is clutching his chest with his knife forgotten on the floor besides the kishi's neck, and Benji coughs and tries to breathe hard.

In the security room Ayame smiles at the scene while everyone else stare dumbfounded. "I told to you all that Benji still had a weapon." Ayame says to them in a lightly sneering tone. "His most powerful weapon." "His body?!" Eri shouts enraged. "He could die with that stunt! He might be with severe wounds right now!" "Those are risks that he had to take in order to win." Ayame replies in an emotionless tone.

"How could you allow that?!" Eri shouts at Ayame's face. "He shouldn't risk himself like that! His life is also important!" Eri stop dead on her tracks seeing the look on Ayame's eyes, they were cold and emotionless. "Benji shouldn't try something that insane…" Eri managed to say feeling the pressure from Ayame's presence.

"Benji knows how to take the risks and he knew that he would survive the fall with out damages that would prevent him from fighting because if he lost fighting capability in that action it would make dealing with the other kishis even harder." Ayame says in a plain tone.

In the building room Benji forces himself to his knees and his right arm is pending limp on his side. The mid range kishi is moving down the stairs from the second catwalk. Benji clench his teeth and forces his shoulder hard with his left hand until a snap precedes a loud scream of pain when the forced joint returns to the place. Benji curls his upper body in pain breathing hard.

Benji crawls to his knife and tries to cut the metal hose of the fuel tank of the flamethrower. The mid range kishi holds its naginata on hands and is halfway down the first set of stairs. "Get up!" a feminine voice shouts. "Run! Get out of the way!" The kishi runs to Maria, the speed surprises the blonde. Benji looks at the scene, the instant between the stillness and the movement is inexistent, he was moving before anything could even register, Benji uses the kishi as secondary jumping leverage and tackles Maria far from the kishi, Maria who was waiting the tackle fires at the pool of fuel near of the long range kishi.

The fuel ignites and explodes inside the tank, the mid range kishi is engulfed by the flames, Benji and Maria are protected by a door, still Benji is covering Maria with his body. "We have to move." Maria tells under Benji. He nods and gets up and helps her up, they run away from where, meanwhile the kishi is slowly moving because the explosion jammed his system but soon it recovers the speed, but Benji and Maria are far from there.

The duo enters inside a storage room. "You are okay?" Maria asked to Benji while they close the door. "I am fine." Benji replied. "And you any wounds?" Maria nods sideways. "I am unhurt." She answered. "Any plans?" Benji denies. "Nothing yet." He replied. "Well at least the most dangerous of the three kishis is down." Maria nods agreeing, with the long range kishi out of the way destroying the other two would be easier.

"And the sword you think that you can finish another one of them with it?" Maria asked pointing at the sword on his hands. "Maybe another one." Benji replied showing to her the edge. "A dent?!" Maria exclaimed seeing a large dent on the knife edge. "You said that the alloy was as hard as steel!" "I think that we got the mixture wrong." Benji replied. "Not to mention that we didn't gave the alloy all the time to be fully dried, just the time to be hard enough to use."

Maria nods understanding; working with an alloy like that the amounts of the used materials and the time of preparation affect the hardness of the metal. "Right now is hard enough to pierce the armor when packed with lots of momentum but it is soft enough to get dents when forced against other metal edges." Benji commented. "So what we do?" Maria asked to him. "I don't know, this knife is too short and isn't all that effective against armors as thick as the kishis armor, I would need something longer and heavier." Benji answered.

"Is the acid working?" Maria asks to him seeing the tube case on his right thigh, she was surprised that all the vials were in one piece after that fall. "It is but not as well as I wanted, each tube holds a very small amount of acid and that amount isn't enough to eat anything other than the outer layer of the armor. I guess that I would need more to actually give enough damage to either destroy or disable one of them." Benji answered.

Maria doesn't reprimand or insult Benji about that fact, it wasn't his fault that the acid wasn't strong enough or that they didn't had large amounts to use against the kishis, his idea was good and in the theory effective, it was the acid that they had that was causing the plan to not work as well as he imagined. "So what we do now?" Maria asked to him. "We can't allow the mid range kishi activate the short range unit." Benji nods agreeing. "But we can't face the mid range kishi just with a short sword and two pistols that can't pierce the armor of it." Benji replied.

Maria let out a sigh, she knows that both of them are right, they can't allow the kishi to activate the remaining one but they also can't face it with the weapons that they have. "Fuck!" Benji shouts getting on his feet. "Benji what is wrong?" Maria asks confused and worried. "The long range machine gun! I chopped off the arm that it was attached!" Benji replied opening the door and running out of the room, Maria follows him.

"So what about the arm?!" Maria asked chasing him. "I just recalled that the kishi wasn't with the ammo pack or the machine gun so he dropped them!" Benji answered. Then Maria understood if the kishi left his machine gun pack they could try to use it against the other two kishis.

They move to the hall where Benji ambushed the kishis and chopped off the arm of the long range unit, they find the arm and the pack. Benji and Maria pick up the entire thing. "Kohran is still on the lab?" Benji asked to Maria. "Yes she is." Maria replied. "Then we will ask her to remove the arm and find a way to put some straps on the ammo pack so I can use it." Benji said, Maria nods agreeing the thing was heavy and she wasn't sure if she would be able to use it, she wasn't even sure if Benji could use it because of the weight.

Kohran begins to work as soon she gets the arm, Benji grabs a nearby fire axe and begins to work with the amalgam to increase the weight and damage of the axe by making a hammer like head over the axe head leaving the cutting edge and the piercing pike shaped point of it. Maria is a bit confused with the way that Benji is building the amalgam head over the fire axe head; on the pike side the amalgam just thickens around the original while on the blade side is doing the same but with the center of the axe thick with the amalgam.

When done places the axe to a side to dry, Kohran is still working in removing the arm from the machine gun. It takes to the Chinese scientist twenty more minutes to finish the changes. Maria helps Benji to put the pack. "Listen Benji-han that gun will have a lot of recoil so keep using just short burst, longer bursts will make the aim shake too badly and you won't be able to hit the target well." Kohran tells him. Benji nods, he already knows how to deal with heavy weapons, he had played a lot first person shooters games to know that.

Maria grabs the axe and they leave. Maria notices that Benji's speed got considerably smaller, she doesn't say anything because she knows that the gun alone weights twenty seven kilos and the ammo pack with the two thirds of ammo that still has weights another seventy four kilos, she honestly surprised that he can actually keep up with her on their current speed.

They reach the lab where the short range kishi is located, in there they find the mid range kishi and the short range kishi already activated. Benji levels the machine gun holding it with both hands; he aims at the short range unit and fires. Unlike Kohran's predictions the recoil of the gun is even stronger than she calculated of the ten rounds burst that Benji fired only three hitted the kishi. It didn't pierce the armor but dented it deeply. Benji fires again slowly getting used to deal with the recoil.

The mid range unit charges at him, Benji aims at the mid range making it unbalanced and fall. Benji can't continue shooting it because the short range attacked. Maria and Benji slowly walk back keeping a barrier of bullets on the kishis. Benji severed the feeding chain and tosses the ammo pack to the short range kishi. The machine grabs it, Benji fires his remaining bullets on the pack making it explode.

Benji and Maria get cover behind a door, but the blast was so strong that ripped the door from the hinges. They recover and run away, Benji grabbed Maria's revolver that fell during their fall. Maria takes one hall and Benji takes another. Followed by the kishis the duo moves to the mid range unit lab, able to make the kishi lose his track Benji locks the door behind him, he sees Maria arriving with the mid range kishi following her at distance, at least the mid range lost the naginata.

Benji fires at the kishi head making it stop chasing Maria who got cover by a pillar the kishi now attacks Benji with its sword. Benji parries the attack with his knife. Maria fires at the kishi's back making it turn to her; Maria keeps firing with Benji's pistol on the kishi joints. Benji shots at the kishi's back and then he sees the missing part of the armor there. He tosses his knife on the air and trades the revolver to his left hand. Benji grabs the knife by the tip and tosses the heavy knife at the kishi's neck, at the same time Maria fires at the kishi's head, the combined impacts have the effect of causing the heave long knife to pierce cleanly the kishi's neck severing all the connections between the head and the body.

Maria and Benji looks with satisfaction the kishi falling to the side, then on his back with the knife preventing to lie still. Benji and Maria move with caution to the kishi, both keeping their weapons aimed at the machine. Benji kicks the sword away and tries to remove the knife, a snapping sound is heard and the knuckle handle is on Benji's hand and the edge is on the kishi's neck.

"Well you were right the knife lasted one more kishi." Maria commented with a small smile. "And I pray that the edge rest in peace after serving its purpose so well." Benji replied placing the heavier brass knuckles on his pocket. "You know what I think the same thing." Maria replied picking up the kishi's sword. "Now you have something more proper to deal with the other one."

Benji nods taking the offered sword from Maria. "Here." He says handing to her the revolver. "Thanks, at least you used it well." She replied holstering it. "You think that you can take the last one by yourself?" she asked after checking her ammo and finding it very dangerously low. "I don't think that I can be of much help just with six more shots in the total." "You were great." Benji replied with a smile. "Leave the rest with me." Maria nods and they move to the lab where Kohran is then Benji escort both to the security room.

Benji is now with the altered axe and the kishi sword, Benji places the sword on his back deciding to begin with the axe to pack more damage on the initial attack. Now Benji has to track the kishi inside the factory. On the security room most of the hanagumi members and civilians are complimenting Maria for her good work.

"Now there is just the short range kishi left and I am sure that even him can deal with it with out problems." Ogami commented in a content tone. "The weapons that he have now have a larger range than the kishi's, not to mention that he still have the acid and the kishi got short by that heavy gun." "I guess that you are right Ogami-kun, the last kishi must not pose much trouble after all that he already did." Yoneda commented.

"After all it only uses short ranged weapons and most of them don't even have an edge." Ogami said. "Grandfather if I am not wrong you mentioned something about the kishis to me earlier this week didn't you?" Eri asks to Tadoyoshi. "Yes we discussed the viability of mass producing them." the elder replied. "I told that the kishis were strong, especially the short range unit that was twice stronger than the other two versions and with the armor twice thicker too."

"Wait a minute!" Sakura exclaimed. "You mean that this last kishi is stronger than the last two and that Benji is going to fight a melee fight against it?!" Then it hits everyone, the long range unit was able to run with three hundred kilos of weapons so the short range unit had twice that the strength of the long ranged unit. "He has at the very least six hundred kilos of strength if not much more" Kohran said after calculating the odds. "One kishi normally weights two hundreds kilos the short range must weight around four hundred kilos."

"I don't thinking that Benji-kun can lift that much." Ayame commented. "He is in trouble now." "I will go warn him." Maria says getting out of the room. "I am going too!" Kanna said running after Maria. "They could have tried by using he radio." Yoneda muttered picking up the radio, he tries calling Benji and Maria but he only get static back. "That is why she ran; Maria-san knew that their radios were broken." Sakura said.

In another part of the factory Benji found the kishi and is facing it, Benji had already discovered the fact that the kishi is stronger than the others. Benji tossed all the acid tubes on the kishi's head and chest, the result is the meltdown of the armor. Benji hits the kishi many times with the axe increasing the damage. The kishi grabs the axe; Benji let it go and changes to the sword. Benji keeps striking the kishi with out giving time to it to react or to get balanced.

Maria and Kanna arrives, a severed head lands by their feet scared they look down and see that is from the kishi. Benji is using the sword as cane recovering his breath. Maria and Kanna rush to his side. They chat a little about the feat, then something hits Benji, a sting of pain on his right side from the shot from the man behind everything, now with Maria and Kanna near him Benji realizes what the man wants, both Tadoyoshi and Eri are alone with the others and everyone isn't armed, Kanna isn't there to deal with the man empty handed.

Benji runs off to the security room, confused Maria and Kanna follow him. In the security room the security room the man in a lab coat sneaks in while everyone is focused on the screens showing Benji, the man pulls a pistol from his coat and levels it to Eri's head. A shot echoes on the room and Eri falls on her knees. Everyone looks to the door and sees the man holding his right hand then something large and black tackles the man and slams him on a wall hard. Benji now has a firm grip on the man's throat if it is not enough Benji hits the man face with his right fist backed up with one of his two brass knuckles. Benji keeps hitting him turning his face into a bloody pulp.

"Stop!" Kanna shouts holding Benji's wrist with her hands. "You will kill him if you keep hitting him like that." "That is the whole idea." Benji hisses tightening his grip on the man's throat. "Benji we need him alive for interrogation." Maria says walking to him. "Eri is alive and no one else is hurt." "Benji-kun let him go." Ayame tells to Benji. The ninja unwilling let go of the man that gurgles in pain trying to breath thru his crushed mouth and nose.

Eri is shocked with Benji's attack to her attacker. "That is it Benji. You are a good boy." Ayame says to him. Benji ignores her and sits in an empty chair; everyone is surprised with the sudden treatment to Ayame. "Benji-niichan you are hurt?" Iris asks to Benji noticing that he is now holding his right side with his left hand. "It is nothing serious Iris. Don't worry about it." Benji replied smiling thru the pain. Iris approaches to heal him but Benji stops her. "Not now Iris, the bullet is still inside." He tells to the little girl, she nods understanding.

"You were shot?!" Maria and everyone else scream surprised. "When?!" "Remember when you couldn't talk to me?" Benji says to Maria. "Since then! Jesus! You are for sure insane Benji." Maria muttered angrily. Benji smiled. "Don't worry Maria you are special to me." He says to the blonde in a mix of a gentle and a teasing tone. "You will be always my first." Maria blushes shocked, then she get angry and tosses the bullet proof vest on him. Benji laughs and stops quickly because of the pain, still he chuckles at Maria's embarrassment.

Everyone else is embarrassed in different levels because his words, thought Tadoyoshi and Eri are mostly confused of the why Maria shot Benji in the first place.

Later Maria is removing the bullet from Benji's wound using a pair of long surgical tissue forceps. "Easy there Maria!" Benji exclaims with Maria pocking inside his wound with the medical tool. "I am doing as easily as a can." She replies. "I have to find the bullet and make sure to grab it firmly so I can pull it out, so stop squirming." "I wouldn't squirm if you wasn't pinching my insides." Benji shots back.

"How you were able to move like that?" Kanna asks interested on the small operation. "I ignored the pain." Benji answered. "Why you don't ignore it now?" Maria asks driving the tool deeper on his chest. "Because you are pocking it!" Benji answered angrily. "I am sorry but we don't have any painkillers here." Tadoyoshi says to Benji in a sorry tone. "Even Eri is suffering from her wound." "She just got scrapped thanks to Benji tossing his other brass knuckles on that guy." Kanna said. "Still is a brand new world of pain to someone who wasn't ever hurt like that." Tadoyoshi replied. "Yes! I got it!" Maria exclaimed. "At last." Benji commented cringing while Maria slowly pulls the tool with the bullet.

"Well it wasn't as big as I imagined." Kanna commented. "Bullets usually aren't big. This one is just a nine millimeters." Maria replied calmly placing the bullet in a metal pot. "Want it as souvenir?" she asked to Benji. "No thanks." Benji replied. "I still have yours." Maria turns red and hits Benji's wound. She gets up and leaves the room, Iris enter and heals Benji. Kanna leaves chuckling; she can tell that Maria was really embarrassed not angry at his words.

Sometime later the hanagumi leaves the factory, Eri is on the infirmary where Benji was treated and sees the bullet that was on him, and she carefully cleans it and places in a small vial and keeps it. "Maybe it won't pass of one sided feelings, but at least I have a small memento." She whispered clutching the small vial.

The hanagumi arrives on the theater late in the night, everyone moves to their own rooms to rest. The kazegumi is already aware of what happened and prepared everything for them. Benji moves to take a shower to wash away the blood from his body. After his bath Benji meets Kasumi halfway to the dinning hall. "I have fixed you a meal." She tells to him. "Thank you Kasumi." Benji replied. "I appreciate it." She smiles back and walks with him to the dinning hall.

End of the chapter twenty four:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	26. Nightmare

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty five: Nightmare

Teito February fifteenth 1923

Most of the day passed with out problems, every member of the hanagumi is on the recreation room taking out Benji and Maria who are cleaning their guns while everyone else is playing monopoly. The hanagumi is playing cheerfully avoiding mentioning the current silent treatment that Benji is giving to Ayame; no one actually blamed him for it. Ayame's decision of forcing Benji to leave his weapons on the theater caused lots of problems, not to mention that Ayame once said that she wouldn't do that after he was an official member of the hanagumi, yet she did and when he needed his weapons he didn't had them.

Ayame is masking well her broken heart because of her actions, she knows that once again she deserves the treatment that Benji is giving to her, even Maria agreed with him on that matter and that alone was more than enough to prove that Ayame was wrong. Maria's relation with Benji also had changed after the assault and the fight against the kishi, she is no longer as hostile to him as she was before, but once and a while they have their attritions. Benji theorized that Maria satisfied her needs to revenge herself from their first encounter by making him suffer while she removed the bullet from his wound with out anesthetics.

What surprised everyone was the fact that Benji and Maria was sharing the expendables products of a gun cleaning kit with out problems, the brushes and others instruments are custom made for each weapon and they don't share it because it wouldn't clean properly the other weapon. Maria finishes cleaning her revolver; she reassembles it and cleans it with a cloth. A couple of minutes later Benji is done, he feeds the pistol with a loaded magazine, place a bullet on the chamber and releases the slide.

"Combat load." Maria commented. "I figured that you would do something like that." Benji activate the safety and holsters his pistol. "A extra bullet might comes handy in a firefight." He replied with a small smile. "The advantage over a revolver since we can cheat a little with the pistol loads." "Well I agree with that but revolvers have a better stopping power than pistols." Maria replied. "Not to mention that they don't have that annoying diagonal deviation caused by the ejection port." "That was solved by ported barrel." Benji said. "I couldn't compensate the differences of the recoil because of them." Maria said. "It takes some time to get used." Benji commented.

"You know it is odd seeing you two having a casual conversation that doesn't have Maria insulting Benji." Kanna commented to the duo. "Or Benji countering Maria's insult by making her embarrassed." "We can be civil sometimes." Benji and Maria replied as one, while they put the used items to clean their guns in two different cases. "Well I am leaving I have few things to take care off." Benji said getting up. "And I am going to read something." Maria commented, both leave the recreation room carrying their respectives cases.

"It isn't the same thing after Maria stopped being aggressive over Benji." Ogami commented. "I kind of like it. It makes the air seem lighter." Sakura commented rolling her dices. "Besides we should all be friends." Ogami stays in silence watching Sakura moving her pawn.

Benji leaves the theater and walks around the busy streets of Teito. He moves to a payphones and makes a call. Away from there Kayama is watching Benji from distance by Ayame's request, even thought he tries to understand what Benji says by reading Benji's lips Kayama fails since Benji isn't speaking Japanese to whoever he is speaking to.

After making the call Benji moves to a construction material store where he purchases steel pipes with screwing tips and steel beams. Kayama is confused with his odd shopping list but keeps following Benji until he returns to the theater, then Kayama moves to report to Ayame what Benji did.

Teito February twentieth 1923

After another outing Benji returns to the theater with a backpack on his back. Ayame is still receiving the same cold treatment from Benji; he only speaks with her when it is truly needed like when he has to train or inform her of something other than in those situations Benji is ignoring Ayame. The hanagumi and kazegumi members can understand his reasons but with out Ayame and Benji's usual friendly relation the theater feels a little different.

Benji moves to a formerly empty office that he claimed as his so he could do things in another place than his bedroom. Inside the office Benji takes out the pack and carefully empties it, inside the pack it has many vials filled with different colored powders. On the office there is a large desk covered by metal pipes, metal beams and molds, in a corner there is a steam press.

Benji puts on a pair of goggles and a mask, then he picks a metal bowl and pours mercury from a large bottle on it, then he pours the content of a bottle filled with a mostly silver powder. Benji mixes the two until it became a uniform mass, and then Benji begins to fill a metal pipe that he prepared. He does that to all the twenty five centimeters long pipes that he have over the desk, pressing the amalgam inside until it becomes a solid structure.

When all the pipes are filled Benji has just a little of the mix on the bowl, he fills a small mold with it and presses the filled mold. Then he cleans the bowl and makes another mixture this time measuring the amount of silver and mercury, the mercury is the first to be placed on the bowl, and then Benji mixes into the silver the content of the other vials filled with different colored powders.

Iris the only person that doesn't matter how much he tries he can't keep her out of office since she can teleport inside the room, Benji gave up in telling her not to enter there but she likes his company more than the others so she often disobeys him and enters there when Benji locks himself inside. Seeing Benji working with mercury Iris quickly gets her own protection mask and goggles.

"What you are doing Benji-niichan?" Iris asks to Benji floating near him looking him opening a vial with a ruby red powder. "I am working in my new long knife." Benji answered. "What are inside that vial?" Iris asked. "The color is so pretty!" Benji smiles under his mask. "In this one is ruby." Benji answered. "On the blue ones are topaz, sapphire and lapis-lazuli, the green ones are emerald and jades, the golden one is amber and peridot." Benji answered. "This one is a secret." He added showing a vial with a rust red powder.

"Why you have gems powders?" Iris asked confused. "I thought that they where worth only when stones." "I don't want the value, what I want is something else that each one of them have." Benji answered. "Each material that I am using has an elemental alignment and mystical properties that I want to transfer to my new weapon." "Now Iris understood." She says with a smile.

Iris sits in a chair far from the desk while Benji mixes all the powders together until the mixture has only one silver color, then he mixes it to the mercury making sure that it will be well mixed. Later Iris sees Benji placing all the mixture in a mold and pressing it with the press until the machine nearly breaks with the pressure, yet not even a single drop of the mixture left the mold.

Benji and Iris leave the office. As usual Benji tells to Iris not tell to anyone about what she saw in there and Iris tells him that she won't. Iris moves to the stage where she will rehearse with the others girls, a new play is about to be performed and all the girls want to do their bests.

Benji moves to his bedroom, he doesn't feel like reading or watching the girls rehearse. In his room Benji takes out his jacket and places it over a chair, he takes out his holster from his belt and places the pistol on his nightstand, he does the same with his pocketknife holster. Benji sits on his bed and lies down on it with his feet still on the floor.

Benji can hear the faint because of distance sound of the hanagumi practicing "Do I really want to be here?" Benji asked to himself in Portuguese. He wouldn't deny that being there have really good moments, but more than often he is trapped in a bad one that usually ends with him getting a serious if not mortal wound or series of wounds. Ayame kept treating him with suspicious when he leaves the theater grounds, taking out Ogami he is getting along well with everyone else in the theater.

Time pass slowly to the ninja, when he is almost falling in sleep his blue eyes begin emit a faint glow. Benji sits on the bed and looks around franticly, he jumps out of the bed and leaves his room by the window, and outside Benji distances himself from the theater wondering what is happening. Tsubaki who is returning from picking the samples of the bromides sees Benji leaving the theater with out his usual jackets, she calls him but he doesn't hear her.

"That is odd." Tsubaki mutters moving to the theater with a box on her arms. "Benji feels the cold more than everyone else in the theater I wonder why he left even with out his jacket." Tsubaki enters on the theater and places the bromide box in her gift shop, and then she leaves the theater again moving to the direction that Benji took. After half an hour looking for Benji Tsubaki decides to stop searching, she is tired and feeling cold even with her winter coat, she returns to the theater still confuse about Benji sudden leaving the theater.

Later in the theater Kanna and Iris burst in Benji's room cheerfully calling his name. "That is odd." Kanna commented after not finding Benji anywhere in his room. "You two shouldn't barge in someone else's room." By the door Maria said to the duo in a scolding tone. "And you two shouldn't enter in his room when he is not around." "I know. Iris let's leave, since he is not here there isn't a point in stay here." Kanna says to the younger girl. "But something isn't right Kanna-neechan." Iris said showing Benji's pistol to the red head. Maria quickly moves to Iris and takes the gun from her. "Iris you shouldn't touch in this." She said in a serious reprimanding tone. "You could accidentally fire and hurt someone."

"But Benji-niichan doesn't leave with out it!" Iris squealed ignoring the fact that she was being scolded. "Maria, Iris is right." Kanna says showing to the blonde Benji's butterfly knife still in the belt holster. "Benji never leaves with out this. I can count the times that I saw him with out this one with one hand." Maria looks around the room and sees his usual almost black dark blue jacket in a chair and his winter jacket in a hanger near of the door.

"Benji isn't anywhere in the theater and he isn't carrying any of his weapons or wearing his jacket. He wouldn't just leave with out them; you know how he acts when Ayame forces him to leave his weapons behind." Kanna says to the blonde. "Maybe he left in a hurry." Maria replied. "Put everything in where you found and let's leave his room, we ask to him where he went when he return. And before you two protest you both know if something bad happened he would take a weapon with him."

Kanna and Iris nod agreeing and return the weapons to their original locations. "The Fukushu is here and there isn't sign of a fight then we can conclude that he left for some reason." Maria added pushing the duo out of the room, but she doesn't believe in her words more than Kanna and Iris, she knows that something isn't right but she doesn't know why and since the alarm hasn't sounded it wasn't serious.

Worried the trio looks around the theater once again even searching on the boiler room where Benji slept in his first night back after returning from his training, he wasn't in there or in any other part of the theater. Maria tells to Ayame about Benji not being in the theater, it only worries the major even more, normally Benji would tell her if he left the theater even not telling her where he was going, but after the Kanzaki incident he is even going out of his way to avoid her.

After the theater curfew Benji returns to the theater, he is covered by the darkness and his breath is easily seen in the cold air of the street, but Benji doesn't seen to be feeling cold, his body was even letting out a thin white smoke of condensation letting clear that his body was much hotter than the outside winter air. Benji enters on the theater and quieter than a shadow he moves to the shower room where he strips naked and tosses his clothes in a corner.

After washing himself Benji puts on a clean set of clothes that was inside in his locker there, he grabs his dirty clothes and shoes and moves to the theater furnace. In the furnace Benji tosses his used clothes and shoes there, for a moment many dark stains can be seen in the light before Benji closed the furnace and left the room. Benji moves to his bedroom on the way Ayame interrupts him. "Where you were?" she asks to him in a serious tone. "Out." Benji replied coldly moving pass her to his room. "That is all that I am going to say."

Ayame bites her lower lip quietly, she hates being treated like that by him, but she knows that he has all the right to hate her now more than ever since once again she proved to Benji that she doesn't deserve his kindness and the affection that he had for her. Ayame walked away quietly not wanting to provoke Benji. "You will keep letting him act to you like that?" Maria asks to Ayame after Benji left. "You know that he has every reason to treat me like that." Ayame answered to Maria's question with a sad smile. "I kept saying that I trust on him and asking to him trust on me but time after time I force him to leave unarmed and even search him to make sure that he isn't carrying any weapons when he leaves the theater. That doesn't show much trust."

"I know that he have reasons to be angry but you shouldn't let him treat you like that." Maria replied. "I deserve Maria. If he wasn't lucky as he is maybe both of you and all of us wouldn't be here today. I took his weapons and when he needed they weren't there and I said that I would stop doing that when he was an official member of the team…" Ayame said to the blonde. "But you had your reasons." Maria replied. "None of them were actually good ones." Ayame said moving to her room. "None of them excuses me for my actions." Maria wonders about Ayame's reasons for her actions.

Earlier on that night (Change in the point of view)

Where Iris is? Iris was sleeping in her bad not in a park. It is scary here at night. Voices at distance? Iris will ask for them where she is. There are many people in a small grassy area near of a thick ring of trees. Towering over most of the people in there is Benji-niichan! Iris run to reach him, then Iris sees something scary as all the others standing on that opening Benji-niichan's eyes are glowing faintly. Why Benji-niichan is like that and with out his winter clothes?

(Change of point of view)

One second there is only stillness on the park, Iris is the only person moving toward the group of people then there is movement, a burst of movement that results in blood gushing and severed limbs flying on the air as the group begins to fight fiercely. There aren't allies or order on the fight, everyone is against everyone. Iris stares in horror at the scene; in less than thirty seconds the large group is reduced to twelve people still fighting against the other and Benji is part of the group taking down his opponents with killing blows using only his body as a weapon, while all the others use weapons.

Iris shouts and cries to Benji stop fighting, but he doesn't seem to hear her. Benji is holding a brown haired man by his neck with both hands, the man is holding on Benji's arms but the Brazilian doesn't even acknowledge that while closing his hands on the man's neck. Iris closes her eyes for a second and she can hear a sickening crunching sound, she opens her eyes and sees the man's head hanging limp on Benji's hands before Benji carelessly tossed the man aside moving to the next target.

In the end there is Benji and a woman with long dark brown hair standing, the woman is wearing a party gown and she has long metal nails strapped on her fingers. Iris doesn't understand her words before Benji leaped attacking, but Iris knew that it wasn't a plea for him to stop. The woman attacks Benji with her claws, Benji avoids the attack by sliding his fingers between hers, he closes his hands and the woman tries to pull back her hands but is too late.

A series of snapping sounds fills the night's air when Benji quickly and strongly forces her fingers in an unnatural angle. She let out a wail before she is grabbed by Benji, he is holding her neck with his left hand, he raises her body on the air before slamming her on the ground hard and hitting her head many times with his right fist until her head explodes in a mass of blood, bones and brains.

A loud scream cuts the stillness of the Imperial Theater halls. The entire hanagumi, kazegumi, Yoneda and Ayame rushes to Iris's bedroom where the scream came from, everyone is carrying their own weapons or in the kazegumi case a makeshift weapon. Everyone sees everyone on the halls, Maria nods to Benji holding her revolver ready for anything, Benji nods back with his pistol on hands and he breaks Iris's bedroom door.

"Shit!" Benji exclaimed seeing Iris's hair standing up in a menacing way while her power cracks on the air, her eyes locks on him and she screams making a pushing movement against him. Benji is hitted with the full force of a very powerful psychic blast that sends him flying out of the door and smashing hard against the opposing wall with enough force to break it.

Benji falls forward and lands on his knees and hands violently coughing, clutching his chest with his left hand supporting himself with his right hand. Ayame rushes on the bedroom and kindly holds Iris soothing the young girl that is crying and screaming scared. Kasumi is kneeled besides Benji trying to help him; the hanagumi is standing by the door confused. "Kanna give me some help to moving him to the infirmary." Kasumi says to the red head. "Sure Kasumi." Kanna replied carefully helping Kasumi to make Benji stand. There is blood running on Benji's chin and he is still coughing.

"It was a very violent blow." Yoneda said seeing the broken section of wall where Benji's back slammed with the impact and created a hole there. "Iris-chan is for sure powerful" Ogami commented actually amused with what happened. "I won't let this lying around." Maria said picking up Benji's pistol that he dropped with the impact. "I return it to him later."

Over an hour later everyone of the hanagumi taking out Benji is on the dinning hall. "What happened Ayame-san?" Sakura asked to Ayame as soon the older woman walked thru the door. "Iris had a nightmare." Ayame replied placing a cup over a table. "At least I want to think that was a nightmare." Yoneda looks at Ayame suspiciously. "It was about what?" he asked in a serious tone.

"Iris said that she saw Benji-kun fighting against a large group of people tonight and that everyone but him is dead in a park." Ayame replied wishing that the cup had the sugared water that she gave to Iris to calm down the young girl. Everyone tenses with Ayame's words. "You think that might not be a nightmare?" Kohran asked worried. "I don't know what to think Kohran." Ayame replied. "Iris is special and very sensitive so I won't discard the possibility that it could either be a vision of something that indeed happened or that might happen, but I also can't discard the idea that it could be a nightmare caused by the stress of the dead grounds experience and the incident on the Kanzaki industries."

"Benji did leave the theater today and no one knew where he was for that period of time." Ogami commented. "And we also know that he is capable of killing large number of people with out much of an excuse…" his sentence is cutted with Ayame slapping Ogami hard.

"Measure your words!" she barks at him on a very menacing tone that makes the sailor flinch. "Every single time that he killed or tried to kill someone he did to protect someone else and everyone here knows that you are unable to do so and only hid when the time came!" Ogami gets red with embarrassment and anger. "Calm down Ayame!" Yoneda snaps in a commanding tone.

Ayame restrains herself from continuing. "And you Ogami don't say anything that can damage his reputation unless you have solid evidences to back up your declaration, because if you don't have it will backfire on you too." Yoneda said to Ogami. Yoneda turns to the girls. "And the rest of you go sleep, it is late and we all should be in the bed." Yoneda said to them. "I will request an investigation dream or not I will make sure to find the truth, now return to your quarters." Everyone nods in silence and obey him.

On her way to her room Ayame stops on the infirmary and sees Kasumi putting away a first aid box, but Benji isn't nowhere in the room. "How he is Kasumi?" Ayame asked to the kazegumi member. "Taking out a really bad bruise all over is back he is fine, I checked his ribs carefully and he didn't felt any pain so they aren't cracked or broken." Kasumi answered looking at Ayame. "And the blood?" the major asked worried. "He got a cut on his tongue when he collided with the wall; again nothing serious thought he will be avoiding spicy, hot and acid foods for a while." Kasumi answered calmly.

"At least he isn't seriously hurt." Ayame said relieved. "Well he won't be sleeping over his back for a while too." Kasumi commented placing the first aid box in a medicine locker. Ayame smiles a little and excuses herself to leave. Kasumi sighs closing the infirmary and she walks to Benji's room, now the hallways are once again deserted. Kasumi opens the door and sees Benji lying over his stomach on the bed. "The medicines kicked in?" she asked sitting besides him.

"Yeah…" Benji replied tiredly. "Don't push yourself too hard, just palpating your ribs isn't one hundred percent sure method of seeing if they are broken or not so take easy for one week okay?" Kasumi said to him in a level tone. "I will try but I won't make any promises." Benji replied. "Good, that is better than nothing, now sleep." She tells him, Benji nods and Kasumi leaves to her own bedroom.

End of the chapter twenty five:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	27. Carnival

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty six: Carnival

Teito February twenty first 1923; 10:29 AM

Yoneda is on his office with Ayame reading a tsukigumi report. "Now Ayame this just confirm his words." Yoneda says to the Fujieda woman handing to her the report. "There isn't any sign of bodies, blood or fights in any of the parks in Teito. Iris dreamed it all." Ayame is relieved. "You go tell to everyone that as the news said nothing like that happened and that Benji didn't do anything." Yoneda added. Ayame nods and leaves the office.

The hanagumi is on the recreation room, Iris is looking at Benji confused and scared, she knows what she saw but she also know that there wasn't a single word about a fight like that on the news and that mean that it didn't happened since the papers love stories like that. Ogami keeps making remarks that irritate Benji, when Ayame arrives and tells what happens Ogami wonders on loud if Benji had hid the corpses.

Benji stands up harshly making Ogami flinch scared, the shorter man knows that Benji is dangerous. "Iris you said that I got wounds on that fight, right?" Benji asked to the blonde girl while taking out his jacket. "Yes…" Iris replied meekly. "Good then take a really good look." Benji said unbuttoning his shirt, he takes it out and tosses over his jacket over the chair where he was sitting.

Benji takes out a white t-shirt and shows to everyone on the room his bare torso. Everyone stares at him surprised and the girls with various level of interest. "Do you see any wounds here Iris?" Benji asked to the short blonde girl, she stares at his scarred torso with tears welling up on her eyes. "No…Iris doesn't see any wounds…" she said in the verge of tears. Benji picks up his clothes and leaves the room.

Ayame comforts Iris, the girls look away embarrassed in seeing Benji's naked chest. "Ayame-san why Benji-kun have so many scars?" Sakura asks in a soft tone. "His training." Ayame replied. "During his training he got wounds and they scarred as they healed, no one there has the abilities that Iris-chan has so they couldn't heal him as she does…"Everyone stays in silence.

"You shouldn't walk around like that." Kasumi says to Benji seeing him half naked moving to his office. "I was just emphasizing something." Benji replied with his tone of voice letting know that he was angry. "I am sure that you got your point across." Kasumi replied with a teasingly smile. "Come with me I will pour you some tea, I can tell that you need to calm down a little." Benji nods and follows Kasumi. "I don't mind seeing you like that but you should at least put on your t-shirt." She added Benji just puts on his shirt with out answering her.

Ayame managed to make Iris feel better and the French girl decided to rest a little. Now Ayame is with the remaining members of the hanagumi. "I advise you all to not create trouble with Benji right now." Ayame tells to them. "This new incident added up with all the others including ones of my own fault, as you all saw right now he is angry and made clear that he isn't content with the way that we keep treating him."

"I also would dislike to be treated as an enemy or a killer." Kanna says in an angry tone. "I am with a clear conscience that I haven't done anything to help with this situation." "Kanna-san is right." Sakura added. "Some of us haven't treated him like that but others have." Ayame and Ogami stay in silence unable to reply to the duo. "Kanna-han, Sakura-han!" Kohran exclaimed. "Let them speak Kohran, they have the right to do so and they are right." Ayame said to the Chinese woman.

"Ayame you kept saying that once Benji was officially a member of the team you would stop forcing him to not carry his weapons around the city but you didn't stop, actually you even got worse." Kanna continued. "And taisho didn't make easier for him, everything that he could do to turn Benji's life harder he did. We are supposed to be a united team how we can be a team if our leader is trying to prejudice one of us?! Even worse trying to prejudice a member that more than once proved himself worth and helped us all!"

"I agree with Kanna-san, Benji-kun never made anything to deserve being treated like this." Sakura said. "I hate to say this but I also agree with them." Maria added. "As Himura I am a killer and it makes me feel uneasy to know that you two treat him like that since you can do the same to me and more than once I worked with him when no one else did anything to help us fighting to protect everyone."

After saying that Maria leaves the room, Kanna and Sakura follow the Russian. "None of us blain Iris for what happened and I am sure that Benji also doesn't since Iris is just a child that is under a stress that she shouldn't be suffering, but you two are an entire different subject." Kanna said before leaving.

Teito February twenty fourth 1923;

After three days the heavy tension that was on the theater vanished as the entire nightmare incident was being forgotten and taking out the usual Benji and Ogami tension and Benji's cold shoulder to Ayame everything is back to the normality.

With the winter fading away and giving place to the spring everyone on the theater is busily cleaning the theater and packing the winter clothes away and unpacking lighter clothes for the spring that is knocking on the door, on Benji's case he was shopping for more clothes since most that he actually owned was winter clothes since he arrived there on the middle of the autumn.

On that moment Benji was helping Maria and Kanna to take their respective boxes of winter clothes to the deposit room of the theater's attic. "You are sure that you won't box your clothes?" Kanna asked to Benji. "We can help you if you want to." "I am sure Kanna." Benji replied. "I don't own all as many clothes as you do and honestly speaking all the clothes that I have doesn't even fill half of my closet and drawers so I still have plenty of room there for more clothes, besides I prefer keeping them there if the weather gets cold out of the season."

"It is your call." Kanna commented. "Don't push much Kanna. I by myself keep some warmer clothes on my own closet for the entire year." Maria said opening the door that leads to the attic. "I know your black coat is one of them." Kanna commented teasingly. "Well just put the boxes over there." Maria said to them, while taking some to the indicated location. "Well Sumire for sure have many boxes." Benji commented seeing a pile of boxes marked with labels saying Sumire.

"Yeah, she has tons of clothes." Kanna commented. After placing the boxes on their chosen location they leave the attic. Benji and Kanna are requested to aid Kasumi in moving some furniture so she can vacuum under them; Maria moves to aid Sakura in fixing the lunch.

Teito March first 1923; Sunday

The hanagumi and kazegumi are having a deserved day off; it took two days for them clean the theater thoroughly while the girls rehearsed for the plays and Benji and kazegumi dealt with the bromides and other gifts. By request of most of the girls, kazegumi included they are in a carnival that arrived in the city a couple of days earlier, Iris more than the others were very excited with the idea of going to the carnival and playing all day long.

Benji as Maria wasn't all that excited in going to the carnival but they went by pressure of the others and lack of anything better to do, not to mention that the others forbade them of playing their war game on the days off since the duo play it nearly everyday and the game is being played since they returned from the dead lands incident. Maria admitted that they are playing it for a long time but the game was interesting and it was very challenging to play against Benji with the level up of their units of the game.

In the carnival they scatter to do whatever they want to do, Iris, Tsubaki and Kohran run to the roller coaster, Kanna moves to few strength games, Ogami is dragged by Sumire and Sakura to the direction of the love tunnel and the house of horrors, Kasumi and Yuri wander around idly checking the attractions, Benji and Maria are standing near of the entrance looking not sure of what to do there.

"Any ideas?" Maria asked to Benji. "Shooting stand?" Benji replied knowing Maria's skill with guns. "I already have enough practice on the theater." Maria said. "Well this time is with pressure guns and we can win things, besides is not like we have anything better to do than checking the stands and trying to have fun." Benji replied.

"I guess that you are right." Maria said. "Okay then to make this more exciting let's have a bet whoever gets more prizes on the shooting stand wins." "And what we will be betting?" Benji replied. "Money?" Maria wonders if she should bet money, she knows that Benji as everyone else got paid on the previous day, but she also doesn't need much money since she doesn't have many expenses and doesn't go in shopping sprees like Sumire, making Maria have a nice amount of money store in a bank.

"I am out of ideas right now and I don't want to bet something like money." Maria replied. "Whoever wins can charge the loser with anything as long is reasonable and isn't humiliating. Sounds fair?" Benji thinks at Maria's words, it gives him many openings for what to ask if he wins but it also gives her many in case of her victory not to mention that she is a better shooter than he is. "Okay I am in, but let's agree that we shouldn't try getting any ridiculous request." Benji answered. "I agree with that." Maria replied.

They move to the shooting stand, Maria was now feeling competitive, after solving up many of her issues with Benji from breaking her fingers when they first met after two kishis incidents Maria enjoy being a friendly rival of Benji, it makes her improve as a soldier. "Okay here are the rules." Maria says to him. "Is better two out of three, if we both hit and take down the same prize it will count as a point for both of us." Benji nods understanding and they buy the ammo for three games each.

Both Benji and Maria load their pressure rifles. "There isn't a time limit the winner is the one with more points after we fired all the ten rounds of each game." Maria said to him. Benji nods understanding. Five minutes later Maria won the first round hitting ten out of ten targets taking down the prizes. Benji hit ten out of ten but only managed to strike down eight prizes. The stand owner already noticed that the duo will damage his profit margin.

"One round for me." Maria said reloading her rifle. "There are still two more rounds." Benji replied loading his. Three minutes later Benji takes the round by taking down nine prizes and Maria took down seven, she hitted all the ten but three of then didn't fell as happened to Benji before. "So this is turning better than I had expected." Maria says loading her rifle.

"I am not surprised with your skill." Benji says to Maria. "But my luck is a bit surprising." "I agree with that." Maria replied. "But this is the final round and the final countdown the winner of this round will win the bet." Benji nods loading his rifle. Now there isn't as many prizes as before after Benji and Maria won the total of thirty four prizes.

"This isn't a round of leisure and time taking to aim since there are only sixteen more prizes since the owner there didn't refill for the ones that we already won." Benji commented. "This time is speed shooting and quick aiming that will decide the winner." Maria nods agreeing, the small competition was getting quite fun, as usual the challenge was good when facing Benji, she wouldn't admit but the fact that other than her he is the only firearm user makes him her only rival and competition, Ogami wasn't even close of their level to join the rivalry.

Benji wet his lips with his tongue and cracks his knuckles to relax the joins, Maria does the same, the tension and thrill of the moment is pleasurable with the notion that one of them will be able to get almost anything from the other. "Three…" Benji begins to count. "Two…" Maria followed as they ready themselves for the final round. "One!" they exclaim as one firing at the prizes.

As if rehearsed the duo fires on the prizes that didn't fell on the other two rounds, the combined shots at the same instant made it fall counting a point to each, they stroke down all the five targets that didn't took down on the first two rounds and four more prizes that look as too hard to take down with only shot.

With one shot remaining each Benji and Maria stop. "Not bad." She praised him. "Thank you. From you mean a lot." Benji replied. "So we are down to the last shot and seven targets." "We are." Maria commented. "One miss now means that one of us will lose and the other will win, unless the other misses too, but that won't happen." "We will see that." Benji replied.

In a blur of movement the duo fires on the same target, the moments seems to pass in slow motion to the duo, the bullets fly in the air moving to the target, both Benji and Maria could see that Benji fired a fraction of second faster than Maria. The Russian's eyes go wide when Benji's bullet hits the lower left corner of pencil case that is the target prize, the shot on that part of the metal case makes the case spin to the left making Maria's bullet pass in the empty space that the case once occupied, still spinning the case falls in the net bellow the shelf signaling Benji's victory.

"YES!! I WON!!!" Benji shouts rising his right hand with the rifle on the air. "No! That can't be happening!" Maria exclaimed. Maria is surprised that other than that first exclamation of victory Benji didn't do anything else or even tried to rub on her his victory. They trade the usual nice match chat and move away from the stand with the spoils of the match.

"I can't believe that you did that." Maria muttered to him. "It was just luck." Benji replied. "And some speed." "I still don't believe in that. You made the target move so I would miss." Maria said. "You are not angry are you?" Benji asks to Maria. "Not really." Maria replied with a sigh. "It was a fair match and a fair move. I am a bit angry because I lost the bet."

"Don't worry about it; I won't do anything humiliating or even embarrassing." Benji said. "Anyway want to sort the prizes and see what you want and what we can give to the others?" "Sounds good." Maria replied, they find an empty table and place the bags with the prizes on it and begin to sort the stuffed animals, toys and other small prizes. After three minutes Benji picked up a Zippo like lighter from the prizes, Maria doesn't find anything interesting on the prizes other than a small pocket knife, and they wouldn't leave a lighter and a knife on the things that they would give to Iris later and they take the bags to the theater cars and store them there, they wouldn't carry those prizes all day long.

Benji and Maria meet Kanna in an arm wrestling tournament, they watch Kanna win the money prize of the tournament and they move around the stands. "Come on Benji let's have a punching match on that machine there." Kanna says pulling Benji to the mentioned machine, after waiting few men try their strengths there Benji and Kanna get there.

"The one with the weaker punch pays a meal for the other." Kanna says putting on the glove for the game. "Fine." Benji replied with a sigh, he knows that Kanna is stronger than he is; Kanna also knows that, even Maria knows that. Kanna packs a strong punch on the machine. "One hundred and sixty seven in a scale of two hundred, not bad." Kanna said looking at her results; everyone else that punched there didn't score more than eighty.

"Beat that partner." Kanna says tossing the glove to Benji. He puts it on and takes five steps back from the machine, since Kanna didn't placed any rules Benji decided to use his higher speed to increase the impact of the strike knowing the equation of impact. Benji takes a deep breath and dashes forward taking a small leap on the final two steps hitting the punching target from above adding all his weight and the momentum of the small race in the impact.

Benji smiles with the result. "Well it stopped marking over two hundred." He said taking out the gloves. "You own me a meal Kanna." Kanna stares at the result. "How you did that? I am stronger than you." she asked. "You are stronger than I am but I am faster and heavier than you are, I punched after a small dash and a small jump hitting the machine with my entire weight and momentum." Benji explained. "The strength of the punch is the impact and the impact is combination of the mass and the acceleration of that mass. So by running, jumping, falling and hitting the target from above I can concentrate more energy on the strike increasing the impact with out need of being stronger than you are."

"You are giving me a headache." Kanna commented. "Resuming he is saying that because his weight, speed and the way that he striked the target compensated his lack of strength when comparing to you." Maria said to the red head. "He cheated with out cheating." "I didn't cheated, I just striked in a way that would insure my victory." Benji defended himself.

"Well it was a fair result considering that I haven't said anything about how he should hit the target, I accept my loss." Kanna said with a smile. "What you want to eat?" "I decide later." Benji replied. "What else we can do?" "Let's walk around and if we find anything interesting we try it." Kanna said, with those words they walk around the carnival.

Most of the morning passes with everyone playing around the stands, at noon everyone meets near of the merry-go-round the determinated spot for they meeting and move to the food stands to buy their lunches before splitting again for playing until the end of the afternoon.

Iris and Tsubaki stay on the table that they picked to have the meal while the others move around getting the food. Everyone eats chatting about what they did in the morning. While the others move to the stands and rides Benji is with the empty containers of the purchased food to throw it away, Benji tosses them away and walks around the carnival. He stops suddenly, his eyes glow for a moment before the light vanishes as suddenly as it appeared, Benji is standing in front of a tend, he walks inside it knowing that he has to enter in there.

The tent is lithe by some sweet scented candles filling with an eerie light, but with enough light to see everything inside, a couple of meters away from the entrance there is a counter covered with a black cloth. "Welcome." An enchanting feminine voice says to Benji. Benji is now looking to an attractive woman with long red hair that appears to be colored as a flame, she has tanned skin and vivid orange eyes, she is wearing a figure hugging red dress, gold bracelets, chocker like collar and hair clip holding her long hair in a ponytail, her features show a mixture of the best traces of both oriental features with Middle Eastern features.

"I welcome you to my humble stand." She says to him. "If your stand is closed I can return when is open." Benji said to her. "This stand isn't closed." She replied with a smile, while carefully removing the black cloth from the counter revealing many knifes and other similar blade weapons. "Just waiting for the right person to come, feel free to look at my items."

Benji stands his hand and reaches for a pocket knife; it has a dark metal blue handle with a concealed button and two screws. Benji presses the button and the knife springs open with the black locked. The edge is longer than his butterfly knife by four centimeters but is as thick and sharp, it has a triangular design with one side fully edged and the spine with two thirds of it with a sharp edge, on the base of the spine of the edge there is a small oval shaped hole. Benji presses the button again unlocking the edge and folding it on the handle again.

"An interesting choice." She said to Benji with a smile. "If you allow me the boldness let me suggest you this one too." She points to Benji a black triangular object that seems to be made of three metal bars united together to form a triangle with a small depression of the size of a coin on the middle of it. "I believe that this one will catch your attention" she said pressing the depression of the object, from one side of each of the bars, turning the odd object into a shuriken.

"You are right it got my attention." Benji said to her, she hands the weapon to him and he carefully studies it. "Unfortunately this time I can only provide you with those two." she says to him in an apologizing tone. "How much I owe you?" Benji asks her. "I am your guide, those aren't for sale, and I am just delivering them to you." she answered with a smile. "Guide? What you mean by my guide?" Benji asks her confused. "It isn't time for you to understand, but now you reached a point where you will need a small guidance." She answered. "Who are you?" he asks her.

"My name is Djinn." She answered with a smile. "I am your guide and yours only. For now farewell." And with a thin haze that vanishes as soon as appeared Benji is now standing in front of a stand. He looks around looking for that tend and that mysterious woman that introduced herself a Djinn. In his right hand is the closed blue knife and on his left the closed shuriken. "My guide…" he whispers hiding the knife. He feels the shuriken vanishes on his hand and just ignore it; he knows what happened with it.

"Benji-kun!" Sakura exclaimed running to him. "Benji-kun where were? I was looking for you all over the carnival." "I guess that you missed me walking around." Benji replied hiding that he was in a tend that just vanished. "What is this perfume?" Sakura asked sniffing him. "Smells really nice…"

"I guess that I bumped in someone with it." Benji answered, sniffing his right arm, he was with the faint scent of those candles, he couldn't place where or when he felt that scent before but was very familiar to him. "Anyway why you were looking for me Sakura?" Benji asks to the shorter girl. "Well since we kind of forced you to come to the carnival I thought in make you some company for a while." Sakura answered in a meek tone. "That if you don't mind." She spurts blushing. "I don't mind at all." Benji replied with a smile. "What you want to do first?" "What about ring tossing?" Sakura asked. "Sure." Benji replied.

For a while Benji hangs around with Sakura enjoying the time in the carnival, until Iris calls Sakura to go on the merry-go-round. "Go on." Benji says to the brunette. "Have a good time." Sakura nods and runs to Iris. Once again alone Benji looks around for something to do, his solitude in the crowd doesn't last long, Benji is surprised when feeling someone quickly and firmly attaching herself on his left arm.

Benji looks at his arm and sees Sumire clinging on it. "Just walk like this." She mouths looking up to him. "There are many people following me and I want to get rid of them." Benji nods subtly noticing that there was a tight packed group on the crowd following Sumire as they walk. "What we do to lose them?" Sumire whispers to him. "I guess that the mirror house should do it." Benji replied, Sumire nods and they walk there.

They enter on the mirror maze, Sumire let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you." she says to him. "I was getting this creepy feeling of them, thankfully you was around." "I don't mind helping." Benji replied guiding Sumire around. "But I think that you don't have to cling on me like that in here." Sumire smiles and holds tighter. "And risk getting lost alone in here with those men after me, I rather cling on you." she replied acidly, but was easy to notice that she didn't meant it, it was just part of their way of interacting.

"Just what I needed you attached to my arm." He said in a fake defeated tone tossing his free hand on the air in a mock gesture of defeat. "SO how we get out of here?" Sumire asks him. "This place is a maze after all." "Well this place was build just to confuse a little and be easy to exit, but since I am not up to meeting those guys I will use a trick." Benji answered crouching; Sumire releases his arm and sees him touching the floor with his right hand.

Five seconds later Benji gets up and dusts his hands. "I got the way out." He says to her. "How?" Sumire asked lacing his arm with hers again. "I send an electric pulse on the floor and read how it bounced and moved giving me an idea of the layout of building." Benji answered. "Sounds interesting." She commented while they walk out of the mirror house.

Back on the open they walk around. "As sign of my appreciation I will allow you to win something on the stands for me." Sumire says in a superior tone. "Why you just don't say 'Benji win something for me please?'" Benji replied with a teasingly smile. "Because I am not asking to you win me anything I am just allowing you to pay for walking with arms linked with Teito's biggest star." Sumire said with a laugh. Seeing that Sumire won't really say her true feelings Benji just decide to appease her.

"Anyway what you want then?" Benji asks to Sumire. "When I see anything interesting I let you know." Sumire answered tightening her grip on his arm. Sumire stops suddenly making Benji stops since she was holding him. "That one! That one over there!" she exclaimed excitedly pointing to a Japanese fox plushie on a dart toss stand. 'She is excited as a teenager.' Benji thinks amused. 'Well she is a teenager after all.'

Benji buys a set of five darts, Sumire let go of his arm so he can toss the darts well. Benji finds the location on the target that will give him that plushie and tosses one dart with a deadly accuracy on the location. Sumire let out a content scream with his win; he did won the plushie for her on the first hit. The stand owner unwilling picks the fox and gives it to Benji who gives to Sumire that hugs it lovingly.

"Want something else?" Benji asks to Sumire. "I still have four prizes to collect." Sumire looks at Benji knowing that he does mean that, after all he is a ninja win in a game of tossing projectiles is easy with all his knife and shuriken throwing training, yet the idea of getting anything other than the fox didn't crossed her mind. "I don't want anything else." Sumire answered, Benji nods picking three for Iris. With the next three shots he wins one lion plushie, a bunny and a maid doll.

Benji looks at the prizes again and something that he ignored before catches his eyes, he smiles a bit seeing a black cat plushie with blue eyes. Benji tosses the dart on the air and tosses hard on the target location of the cat burying it deeply on the target. The stand owner gives to Benji his prizes. "Why you tossed the last one so hard?" Sumire asks to him holding his arm again with her right arm and her fox with the left. "To make sure that would nail." Benji answered with two bags with the prizes inside.

"And why you wanted to make sure to get the cat?" Sumire asked. "Because I like cats." Benji replied. Sumire still doesn't understand but stays in silence. They move to the car where they store the prizes. "Thank you for helping me and for the fox." Sumire said to him while carefully placing the fox with few more things that she got on the carnival. "You are welcome." Benji answered placing the three prizes for Iris near of the others that he won earlier.

"Sumire." Benji calls her after placing the prizes on the car. "What?" she asks turning to face him. "I did get you the prize that you wanted, this one is because I want to give to you." Benji said giving to her the black cat. Sumire takes the cat and hugs it tightly. "Thank you." she replied in a faint tone. "You are welcome." Benji replied with a small smile. Sumire places the cat next to the fox carefully and they return to the carnival. "Wait." Sumire said. Benji stops from moving away, Sumire walks to him and places a hand on his shoulder and pulls him lower, confused he let her guide him.

"Thank you…" she whispered before giving a kiss on the cheek and running away from him blushing. "Okay I wasn't expecting that…" Benji whispers touching his left cheek, she had kissed his cheek quite close of the corner of his lips. "I won't try figure it out now, I am sure that I won't even understand."

Benji wanders around for few minutes before another girl intercepts him, this time not one but three Kasumi, Yuri and Tsubaki approaches him and make him make company to them. Benji agrees with not much of a choice, one hour and several stands later the trio moves to the cars with their arm full of bags with prizes. Benji sits on a bench with a bottle of soda on his hands. "You look tired." Kanna commented appearing behind him. "A bit.' Benji replied.

"Well we still have few more hours so rest a little." Kanna said cheerfully, she places her hands on his shoulders. "I will give you a massage to relax you a little." Benji nods and Kanna squeeze his shoulders. "Wow you are for sure hard." She commented. "It is because your muscles are hard or you are tense?" "I guess that both." Benji answered. "Well I will try my best." Kanna said continuing. Five minutes later considerably tired Kanna sits next to Benji. "That was hard." She commented. "Here drink this." Benji says handing his half filled soda to her. Kanna takes and eagerly drinks it.

"Turn your back to me and face away." Benji tells her; a bit confused Kanna does so. "What?" she exclaims feeling Benji's hands on her shoulders. "MMmmm…nice…." Kanna purred feeling Benji kneading her shoulders. "I guess that I didn't do right…" "You tried and that made me feel good. Now relax." Benji replied. Kanna nods purring at Benji's hands.

Five minutes later Kanna turned practically into putty on his hands after the first minute of the massage and is currently purring delighted. "That was just so good…." She purred. "That is good." Benji replied cracking his fingers to relax. "Let's walk a bit." Kanna nods lightly. "Sure." She said willing to do anything after that massage.

They walk around the stands again. Benji looks around the stands and prizes, he wants to give something to Kanna after he gave to Iris, Sakura, the kazegumi, Sumire and even in a lesser way to Maria, it would be unfair if he didn't gave anything for Kanna, besides she is the closest friend that he has in the hanagumi he couldn't just not give her anything.

In a ball toss stand Benji sees what seems to be a music box, wanting to change from the plushies and other toys Benji decides to win that to Kanna. It was easy for the ninja to get it but the stand owner decided to make harder and betted if Benji was able to take down metal bottles with a toss he would double the prizes that he won that being the music box and two more plushies.

Benji takes the challenge cheating a little by charging the ball with his energy Benji takes down the pyramid of bottles doubling his prizes. "So which one you want?" Benji asks to Kanna after they heard the music of both boxes and found that they were different. "I want the one with the most cheerful music." Kanna replied picking one of the boxes and a stuffed wolf with brown fur. "And this plushie."

Benji smiles and stores the other prizes, since he liked of the tune of the box that Kanna didn't wanted he decides to keep it, they move to the cars to leave the prizes there. 'I think that I am giving some harsh hits on the profits of the stand owners, well at least Iris will like all the prizes.' Benji thinks seeing the trunk filled with the prizes that he won.

"Thank you." Kanna says to Benji before kissing him on the cheek, she runs off to the park even before he can reply. 'Okay I wasn't expecting this too…at least she kissed me in the right cheek and Sumire on the left…' he thinks moving to the carnival. The hours pass with everyone enjoy the day on the carnival at their own way until around four on the afternoon when all the members of the hanagumi Benji included are going to the roller coaster.

After the ride Sakura, Sumire, Ogami and Yuri are resting on a bench recovering from the ride, Benji is fine considering that on his world and time the roller coasters are by far more thrilling to not say insane, Iris is fine too, so are Kanna and Kohran, Tsubaki isn't a surprise considering her own personality and the times that she drove around, Kasumi was not sick but also not so well but was better than the others.

Benji moved to the group and offers to them glasses of water. "Thank you." Sakura, Sumire and Yuri said taking the offered water; Ogami takes the glass in silence. "Where you are going?" Maria asks to Benji seeing moving away again. "Near by, I will be back soon." Benji answered moving away. "Maybe is a bathroom break." Tsubaki commented to the blonde. "Whatever it is we shouldn't discuss." Kasumi said to the shorter girl.

Indeed Benji moves to the area where the public restrooms of the carnival are located, it is

Benji moves to the hanagumi before they wonder why he was taking so long to return. "What took you so long?" Ogami asks to the taller brunette. "I was checking few stands." Benji answered. "And I fail to see why it is your business what I do on my free time." Sensing an incoming argument Kohran muffles Ogami and with Sakura's help taking him away while Maria and Kanna do the same with Benji.

End of chapter twenty six:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.

Author notes:

This chapter is a universal scenario event, it shows small events with all the girls. This chapter is mostly focused in the development of the characters relations.


	28. Illness

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty seven: Illness

Teito March fourth 1923; Wednesday

Three days passed since the day off in the carnival and one day passed since Kohran's birthday and by request Benji once again made the Brazilian sweets to the party and for once Kanna actually restrained herself from wolfing them down. The mood on the theater is very light after those happy moments, Kohran is happily maintaining the koubus, Sakura, Tsubaki and Iris are on the French girl room placing all the new stuffed animals and dolls on Iris's room after purchasing a new shelf for them.

Kanna is eating some of the left over sweets from the party with Sumire in one of the rare quite moments between the two, Ogami is doing some paperwork with Yuri and Kasumi, Yoneda and Ayame aren't in the theater for a meeting, lastly Benji and Maria are in the training room training, ever since the dead grounds incident Benji is teaching Maria how to fight with a knife and his own style of empty hand combat.

Maria is currently on the ground lying flat on her back, she is wearing uniform plus a custom made scale mail, near her right hand is a long bayonet. Benji is standing on his feet looking Maria from above near of her head; he is wearing his usual clothes and is with a blunt combat knife. "You are not on your usual shape today." Benji says crouching near Maria. "You are feeling okay?"

"I am fine." Maria replied trying to sit. "Stay like that." Benji says while holding Maria down. "Let's take a break." "Fine." She replied trying to sound acid but she was relieved because of the break, she couldn't sit much less stand on that moment, Maria closes her eyes and let out a sigh.

Benji looks down at Maria and places his hand on her forehead. "I knew it." he mutters feeling her forehead hotter than it should be, and the fact that Maria didn't did anything when he touched her was more than enough to say to Benji that she isn't well. Benji picks Maria up and leaves the training room moving to the blonde's room, and then he moves to find Kasumi to dress Maria in something more comfortable.

"Well you are right." Kasumi says to Benji while walking out of Maria's room after changing the Russian woman. "She is with a fever, I am guessing that she either had a cold or ate something that didn't agree with her. Stay with her for a while, I am out of cold medicine and stomach medicine so I need to get to the pharmacy to get some more." Benji nods and Kasumi leaves, Benji enters on Maria's room and sees that Kasumi placed a wet cloth on Maria's forehead. Benji sits in a chair next to the bed and waits.

Benji notices that once and a while Maria is coughing. "Maybe Kasumi should also buy some cough medicine." Benji wondered changing the wet cloth from Maria's forehead. Maria opens her eyes and looks at the Brazilian. "What is going on?" she asked in a faint and hoarse voice. "You are sick." Benji replied. "You should have stayed in bed instead of trying to train ill; you actually fainted after I said that we could take a break. Kasumi changed you to clean clothes and asked me to look over you while she goes buy some medicine for you."

"I am not sick." Maria protested trying to sit on the bed. Benji holds Maria down using only his right hand pushing her to the mattress. "You are sick, I am not even forcing you back, and just the weight of my hand is making you unable to sit." Benji said in a serious tone. "You need to rest and get the treatments, you also shouldn't force yourself to speak you can damage your throat and you need your voice to work."

Maria nods unwilling lying back on the bed; she knows that not even on her prime she is able to win in strength against Benji much less when she feels that her blanket weights a ton on her body. "I admit that you are right." She muttered closing her green eyes. "Don't get used to that." "I won't." Benji replied with a small smile placing the damp cloth over Maria's eyes and forehead. Maria let out a pleasurable sigh with the cool feeling.

"You need anything?" Maria heard Benji asking to her. "I could use some water." She answered. "My throat is a bit sore and dry." She hears the sound of water flowing and feel Benji carefully sliding his right hand under her upper body gently lifting her. "Here you go." Benji said placing the glass close of her lips. Maria wanted to protest at the treatment but she knows that on that moment she wasn't able to hold the glass, she slowly drinks the water noticing that Benji isn't tilting the glass more than the needed for her drink being careful to not let the water spill and wet her.

When done Maria lets Benji know and he lie her back on the bed again, Maria doesn't miss the fact that Benji was treating her with the uttermost care, it surprises her how careful he is treating her as if she was made of the finest porcelain or delicate crystal and he was being careful to not break her. She knows that he could easily break bones with his hands yet she feels that even with his strength that could severally hurt her he was able to treat her with gentleness that surprises her.

Maria begins to cough again. "Benji I am feeling sick…" she says to him. "Well you are sick." Benji replied casually, he turns back to her and notices that she is pale. "You mean that kind of sick?" he said worried, Maria nodded covering her mouth with her right hand. Benji quickly but carefully picks Maria up and moves to the bathroom, Maria begins to squirm and Benji now races to the bathroom, he kicks the door open ripping it from the hinges and moves to the sink supporting Maria that begins to cough violently spewing copious amounts of blood.

'This isn't good.' Benji thinks holding Maria that weakly holds on the sink while coughing out blood. 'I this might be tuberculosis…' After couple of minutes Maria stop coughing, Benji wipes her mouth and chin with a handkerchief, Benji pockets it and turns on the water on the sink washing away the blood, he cups his right hand and cups some water on it and bring it to Maria's lips. "Rinse your mouth." He tells her.

Maria nods weakly and fills her mouth with the water from his hand and then spits the now red water, Benji makes Maria repeat the process until the water that she spats is clear. Benji closes the faucet and picks Maria again; she tiredly holds on him and allows him to carry her.

"Tsubaki!" Benji calls the short girl seeing her back on the hall. "Benji what is wrong?" she asked when seeing Benji with Maria on his arms. "I want you to get a car started and waiting on the garage and tell to Yuri to tell Ayame to meet me on the garage in five minutes." Benji ordered, Tsubaki nods vigorously knowing that whatever it was it was very serious and she bolts out of the hall.

Benji moves to Maria's room, grabs her black coat and moves to the garage; in there he meets not only Ayame but the hanagumi. "Benji what is wrong?" Ayame asked worried. "Maria coughed blood." Benji answered placing Maria on the backseat of the car, carefully wrapping her on her coat. "Lots of blood." Ayame and the others paled.

"Yes it might be tuberculosis, so everyone should also go to the hospital to be examined, Kasumi should be returning in a short while, so get her and go to the hospital." Benji tells to them. "If Maria is infected with tuberculosis there is a risk that everyone else in the Teigeki is also infected since we live together in this theater." Ayame nods and Yoneda begins to barking orders while Benji enters on the car and tells to Tsubaki to drive away, Tsubaki obeys driving quickly to the hospital.

Half an hour later the entire Teigeki members are in the hospital after having taken blood and chest X-rays for testing for tuberculosis, shortly after arriving everyone but Benji confided about recent small coughing fits and smaller chest pains. A doctor walks to them. "I hate to say this but taking out Himura-dono everyone of you is with beginning of tuberculosis." He tells to them in a matter of fact tone. "It would be better to every one of you if you moved to our treatment rooms so we can try treating you all now since unlike Tachibana-dono you all are just in the early stages of the disease and with treatment and some luck it will be gone before it reaches an untreatable stage."

"Wait a second there. You are telling me that we are all sick taking out that the Gaijin isn't sick when all of us are?!" Sumire exclaimed to the doctor slapping Benji's chest punctuating her words. "Yes." the doctor replied. "He is in a perfect health." Sumire sigh at the unfairness of the ordeal but as all the others she accepts the doctor words and move to their rooms on the hospital.

Benji is aware that a tuberculosis diagnosis on that it is a death sentence and he has to do something to help the hanagumi but he doesn't know how to treat tuberculosis. Few hours later Benji is looking at Maria thru a window on the outside of her room. 'Why this happened?' He thinks recalling the events of the passed months. 'Maria never showed to have TB on the anime or in the game, unless…it might be latent, TB isn't all that uncommon in Russia and on those countries in my time so now days it rate of TB there must be high, if she was infected on the war, on her childhood or when she moved to New York and the virus stayed latent on her body she would never actually get sick.'

Benji runs his hand on his hair. 'I should have paid more attention to those medical programs in the Discovery Channel, well at least I have an idea of the why she might be sick now, thank you television not everything is useless.' he thinks closing his eyes an sighing. 'But what could have caused Maria to get sick and become contagious…'

Benji scratches his arm where the needle of the syringe for the blood sample pierced him. "I hate injections…" he muttered absent minded recalling how hard it was for her mother take him to take vaccines or to have blood sample draw, he chuckles recalling how it needed to restrain him and have two grow man to force his arms open to draw the blood.

Then the memories hit Benji hard, literally making him fall on his butt. Benji turns and skids out of the side room. "Doctor!!!!" Benji shouts running on the halls of the hospital. "Doctor!" The nurses stare at Benji shocked with his behavior, they page the security to restrain Benji before he reaches the doctor too bad that Benji literally run over the two guards and burst in the doctor's lounge.

"Doctor I know why I wasn't infected!" Benji shouts slamming his hands on the table where the doctors were gossiping at the bad luck of the hanagumi. "What? How?" he asked confused. "I am immune!" Benji exclaimed. "I was immunized against tuberculosis when a child! I have antibodies that kill the tuberculosis bacillus! That is why I am not infected!" The old doctor bark orders to the others and they all run to the laboratory to speed up the tests on Benji's blood sample. The nurses had to explain to the hanagumi that Benji for some reasons began screaming to the doctor.

Three hours and ten bacterial cultures later the doctors are draining Benji's blood. Benji is sited in a chair with a really large bore needle on his left wrist vein, a fairly pretty nurse smiled at Benji while she closes a valve in one of the tips of the hose connected to needle and the collect bottle before trading the filled bottle for an empty one and opening the valve again.

"How much you guys exactly need?" Benji asked to the nurse. "Counting with that bottle that I just changed two more, don't worry Takeda-sensei said that you won't die because you donated one litter and a half of your blood." The nurse replied with a smile carefully labeling the bottle. "You are a very big and healthy man I am sure that you have a lot of blood still in you."

Benji sighs at the perspective of losing even more blood, he barely regained all the blood that he lost on the Kanzaki factory and he is losing it all again. "Mind in fetching me my jacket and a bottle of apple juice?" Benji asks to the nurse. "I don't mind at all." She answered beaming a smile to him. "Just let me deliver this bottle to the laboratory so they can begin processing it." Benji nodded and watches the nurse leaving. "They are better be thankful because of this…" Benji muttered after she is gone. "I hate injections and they are sucking me dry…"

Few minutes later the nurse return with the juice and the jacket. Benji pulls two small bottles from his jacket pockets. "Mind in opening these two for me?" he asked. "I don't mind." She replied. "What are those?" she asked opening the vials. "Two medicines that I take, don't worry they won't do anything to the others." He replied. "Separate ten of each one and close the vials again."

The nurse nodded and does so, she hands the pills to Benji that chews them and then downs the juice. He let out a deep sigh. "Mind in preparing an IV serum drip for when this is over? I think that I will need the fluids." Benji asked, the nurse nods understanding, she was ordered to do it when they finished harvesting the third bottle.

Half an hour later Benji is now with a much thinner needle on the back of his left hand and with a band-aid on his left wrist, Doctor Takeda enters on the room. "I have finished administrating the first doses of the vaccine on Tachibana-dono and the others. Because Tachibana-dono condition is more severe than the others she is gaining priority on the treatment." He explains to Benji. "In three days we will be harvesting more blood from you to produce more of the vaccine."

"From the blood that you got from me today you managed to make how many doses?" Benji asked. "We extracted two hundred milligrams of what we are calling 'B vaccine' from the blood that we harvested today; we are administrating doses of ten milliliters of the B vaccine in everyone other than Tachibana-dono who is getting doses of fifteen milliliters and we are also giving her plasma with the processed blood that we got from you to repose the blood that she lost." Takeda answered. "Luckily you two have the same blood type and Rhesus factor making you two compatible donors for each other."

Benji nods understanding. "Any changes on them?" he asked. "It is too soon to tell but it is promising." The doctor answered before leaving. Benji sighs feeling faint because the blood loss, he still haven't reposed the lost blood with the serum to lessen the effects of the blood loss.

After another half hour Benji is now tired of staying on the chair and since his IV drop is over he moves around the hospital after taking ten more of his pills. Benji checks the Teigeki members from the room windows, he smiles seeing that they are still energetic and bickering. Benji moves and checks on Maria, it is a sad sight seeing Maria sleeping with an oxygen mask and his blood IV drip hooked on machines that check her vital signs.

Maria opens her green eyes and turns her head and looks at Benji. Benji can see Maria sighing before mouthing something, Benji enters on the room and Maria pulls the mask from her face. "So once again you find a way to cheat certain death don't you?" She asks trying to sound sarcastic.

"What can I do I am a cheater when it comes to her." Benji replied with a smile while shrugging. Maria chuckled a little. "So once again you are a hero." She said to him. "What you mean?" Benji asked. "Don't play dumb with me." Maria said harshly. "I know that you know about what I am talking about. They explained to me what is now on my veins and from where that blood came."

Benji sighs. "I take that you are angry." He commented. "You can bet that…" Maria makes a pause and takes a deep breath. "That I am thankful that you did this for me." She can see that he wasn't ready for that. "I have seen people dying from tuberculosis, it isn't pretty." Maria said after taking a breath from her mask. "As I said you are a hero. You once commented that a hero gives his blood to save others well you do that quite often."

Maria chuckles amused at his confusion. "At the very least you might save the others." Maria said in a serious tone. "I wouldn't bear the idea that everyone else died suffering because an illness that I gave to them." "They won't die." Benji replied moving besides Maria's bed. "Neither will you."

"I killed many people willingly but if I killed them by accident I wouldn't be able to face myself." Maria said; Benji takes her right hand. "They won't die and neither will you." Benji says in a serious and strong tone. "If you give up I will be the first one to come here and beat that idea out of you and if you die you can be sure that I will find if you ended in heaven or hell and drag you out of there."

Maria chuckled giving a light squeeze on his hand. "Okay then I won't die because I don't want you to messing up on hell because that might make my punishment ever worse." She commented. "Trust me if you die I will make things much worse for you in hell." Benji replied with a teasingly smile, he picks her mask and covers her mouth and nose. "Now keep that on and rest, you need to rest a lot to get better soon."

Maria nodded and closes her eyes. "If you let go of me before I fall in sleep I will find a way to beat you even like this." She warned him still with her eyes closed. "And don't think that this incidents change things between us, I just don't want to stay alone now." "Hai, Hai." Benji said in a playful tone, sitting in a chair next to Maria's bed. "You want me to tell you a story or sing you a lullaby too?"

"I am not a child." Maria said still with her eyes closed. "I know that." Benji replied. "I never said that you are one." Maria exhales and stays in silence. "I take the song." She said opening her eyes halfway. "Make sure to not sing too badly." "Hai, Hai." Benji said thinking in which song to sing.

"sotto mezameru

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to..." Benji begins singing in a soft tone.

"You sang that one for me before haven't you?" Maria asked opening eyes halfway again. "Yeah in the first kishi incident, I am surprised that you recall it." Benji commented. "Even not recalling the words I was with it stuck in my mind for a while." she replied closing her eyes again. "Keep singing." Benji nodded and continued.

"'Ato sukoshi' to yuu kyori ga fumidasenakute

itsumo me no mae wa tozasarete-ita no

aitai aenai hibi wo kasaneru tabi ni

tsuyoi tokimeki wa setsunasa ni naru yo

moshimo eien to yuu mono ga aru nara

Toomawari shite demo shinjite mitai

"bukiyou dakara KIZUtsuku koto mo aru" to

wakatte mo tomaranai mou dare ni mo makenai

anata no koto wo omou

sore dake de namida ga

ima afuredashite kuru yo

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to...

tsuyogaru koto dake shiri-sugite-ita watashi

dakedo ano toki kara mayoi wa kieta yo

misetai to omou mono ga kitto atte

kikasetai kotoba mo takusan aru

egao nakigao mo zenbu mite hoshikute

matte-iru watashi wa yamete

'CHANSU' wo tsukamu yo

Anata no koto wo omou

Sore dake de kokoro ga

tsuyoku nareru ki ga suru yo

hakanai omoi zutto

donna toki demo negau yo

anata ni todoku you ni to...

Anata no koto wo omou

Sore dake de namida ga

Ima afuredashite kuru yo

Tookute koe ga todokanai dakedo itsuka wa

Kanarazu todoku you ni

Shinjite la la la la la la...

Shinjite la la la la la la...

Shinjite la la la la la la..." When Benji stops he noticed that Maria did fell in sleep while he sang 'My Will' to her. He can't help in smiling at Maria sleeping looking peaceful an expression that he never saw on her face.

Half an hour later a nurse calls Benji, he notices that she is very restless. The nurse takes him to the nurse's lounge where he sees a blonde girl with short hair wearing the kazegumi uniform and recognizes her as one of 'his' kazegumi girls. "Yu what you are doing here?" Benji asked to the girl.

She immediately salutes Benji. "I was ordered to get you sir!" She exclaimed in a military way. "Yu you know that I don't like being saluted I am not even part of the Japanese military forces." Benji said to her. "Anyway what is wrong?" She relaxes and takes a deep breath.

"Well sir the yumegumi detected demonic activity and then there was an attack in the Otome Gakuen." You answered in a serious tone. "Because the current state of tuberculosis quarantine of the hanagumi and the commanders, General Yoneda ordered us to inform you and that you should proceed as you see fit using any resources that you need to control the situation as quickly as possible."

Benji sighs. "So I will have to organize a group and go defeat the demons?" he asked. "Mostly that sir." Yu answered. "Let's get going sooner I get there less people will get hurt." Benji said, Yu nod and they move away to the hospital parking area. In their room Yoneda and Ayame watched the conversation by a TV set thanks to a tsukigumi member. "I am curious to see how he will handle with this situation." Yoneda commented, Ayame stays in silence worried about Benji.

Twenty minutes later Benji is on the theater base armory, few minutes after his arrival Benji ordered to Yu to gather 'his' kazegumi and prepare a detailed map of the school grounds that he could use in the site, his following minutes were expend putting on his battle uniform and moving to the armory and ravishing the armory looking for weapons to take to the battle.

"What you are looking for?!" Kayama asks following the ninja. "Tommys!" Benji shouted running through the weapon racks. "Also a Lewis!" "The Thompsons are over there!" Kayama shouted back. "I will get the Lewis!" "Load it with a 97 rounds magazine and pack twenty 47 rounds magazines!" Benji shouted running to the indicated direction, Kayama doesn't answer but does so.

Benji grabs two Thompson machine guns and fifty 30 rounds magazines for them before running to the entrance of the armory. "What else you need?!" Kayama asked with the machine gun on his hands and a bag with the ammo on his back. "Explosives, detonators and a way to explode them." Benji answered. "Meet me on the command room when you are done."

Kayama nods and get the explosives not knowing why Benji wants it. Meanwhile Benji is running to Kohran's workshop, in there Benji begins to remove the guns stock tossing them away, he does the same with the tactical handle and he proceeds to remove two thirds of the barrel.

When done Benji loads the now machine pistols and holsters them, and then he runs to the command center; in there Kayama hands to Benji a pack with the machine gun, ammo and explosives. "Sir we are done with the map!" Yu said running to Benji with a three page map. "Good work." Benji replied taking the map and pocketing it.

The trio is pleased with their work and the praise and sees Benji and Kayama running out of the room, Benji goes to the garage to get his bike and drive away from there, Kayama moves to a tsukigumi jeep.

Using a radio on the jeep Kayama talks to Benji. "There are still some students and teachers trapped inside the school, we don't know why they couldn't escape before the lockdown." Kayama said to the ninja." "Lockdown?" Benji asked. "Yes, someone activated the defenses of the school lowering steel plates on the windows and doors." Kayama replied. Benji sighs wondering how to enter on the school, clearly it was a fortress. Benji sees many army trucks for personal parked considerably near of the tall walls of the Otome Gakuen. "Well since I came here I did tons of stupid, insane, dangerous and deadly stunts why not add another one to that list." Benji muttered accelerating even more, locking the handle bars and drawing his Winchester shotgun.

Benji fires at the rear tires of one of the trucks and then to the locks of the truck rear door making it fall as a ramp, Benji tucks his Winchesters on his pack and speeds up even more before reaching the makeshift ramp. "He is insane!" Kayama as well many of the army and tsukigumi personal shout seeing the stunt.

Benji reaches the apex of the leap and stands on his bike seat and jumps away from it kicking the bike crashing into one of the empty trucks. Benji tosses one of his climbing lines into a lamp post and using the large momentum of the previous stunt swings on it and flies towards the school at least ten meters above the walls.

Benji lands neatly, somehow hard but gracefully on his feet twenty meters away from the closer wall and fifty meters away from his makeshift ramp. "I know that this will make me sore as hell tomorrow." Benji muttered rising from his landing crouching position. Many faint groans and grunts fill on the large gardens. "Just great zombies and walking skeletons." Benji spat acidly. "And why I have the impression of hearing the main song of Castlevania playing on the thin air? Should I get some leather trunks and a chain whip?"

Benji carelessly sidesteps a zombie. "Well I shouldn't waste my ammo with them, it this goes like in Castlevania they are endless." He muttered drawing a slender European sword from his coat. "At least I pillaged that sword from Yoneda's suit of armor and I hope that if this is like Castlevania I get some XP and level up, I really hope that isn't like the other ones."

Benji smashes a zombie head and keeps moving towards the building. "And if it is like Bloodlines and the others that you don't gain levels that at least I find those odd stone power up sigils." He smashes another zombie's head and keeps moving. "I could use some power ups too." (What he is mumbling there?) One of the tsukigumi members asks to Kayama. (You guess is as good as mine. I don't speak whatever language he is speaking.) Kayama answered looking at four tsukigumi agents that are removing Benji's damaged bike from their transport truck.

Half an hour later

"Blood, gore, dust, dirty, shattered bones and rotting body parts and I still don't feel like I am getting a level up." Benji muttered smashing another zombie. "And I am nowhere near of finding a way in of that fucking school. This should be like Castlevania and the doors should open allowing me the good guy to enter to vanquish darkness, unless this is like another game with zombies, I hope that isn't like Resident Evil, I really don't need to expend hours solving puzzles to move around the place."

(What you are muttering there?) Kayama asks to Benji using the radio. (Nothing.) Benji answered. (I am keeping myself amused while trying to find a way to enter on the school.) (It should be a staff door on the back of the building that should be easier to open.) Kayama said. (Okay, staff door in the back of the building.) Benji replied walking near of the main building wall and smashing to oblivion any kind of undead on his path.

After ten more minutes of undead bashing Benji finds the mentioned door. "Kayama you know that this door of yours have three different set of locks?" Benji asked to the sailor. "They do?" Kayama replied. "I wasn't informed of them." Benji sighs deeply. "A safe styled combination lock and two kinds of key slot locks…" Benji muttered. (For sure Resident evil…… Eu mereço……)

The sound of a twig snapping makes Benji turns suddenly with one of the altered Thompsons in his hand, he fires at the direction of the sound. "It is just a girl." Benji muttered seeing the bullet passing few inches from the girl's head just making her hair move with the dislocated air.

The girl lets out a surprised scream and falls on her butt. "Don't be so scared, if I was sure that you were an undead you wouldn't be alive right now." Benji said holstering the gun. "You could have killed me!" she shouts from her sitting spot. "If I wanted you dead you would be dead." Benji replied. "Now shut up I am trying to figure a way to…"

Benji walks to the girl and pulls her to her feet. "Ocean boy." Benji says to Kayama. "What?" Kayama asked not so content with the nickname. "How the uniform of the Otome Gakuen looks like?" Benji asked. "It has a navy blue checkered skirt with other shades of lighter blue, a navy blue vest, a white shirt with navy blue cuffs, a checkered navy blue ribbon tied in a lace under the shirt collar, knee high black socks and black shoes." Kayama answered. "Well it also has the emblem of the school on the left breast of the vest. Anyway why you are asking me that?"

"I just found a student in the garden." Benji said looking at a teenager girl with short brown hair. "And I am quite sure that I can't get her out of the grounds now." "She is hurt?" Kayama asks worried. "Can you hear the bitching?" Benji replied. "Yes, quite loudly." The sailor answered. "Why?"

"Because she is alive and complaining." Benji answered. "Thought I am beginning to feel evil and chaotic because of her ranting." "Don't do anything harsh there." Kayama said. "She is just a young girl that for sure must be scared of the undead and demons that took over the school." "Actually I am thinking that the undead and demons are avoiding her." Benji commented. "Anyway I will shut her up and see if I can get inside."

End of the chapter twenty seven:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	29. Learning place

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes. Like Sakura Taisen did. For example the episode nine when Maria recalls when she meet her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language. As English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty eight: Learning place

Teito March fourth 1923; Wednesday 10:34 PM

"I just found a student in the garden." Benji said looking at a teenager girl with short brown hair. "And I am quite sure that I can't get her out of the grounds now." "She is hurt?" Kayama asks worried. "Can you hear the bitching?" Benji replied. "Yes, quite loudly." The sailor answered. "Why?"

"Because she is alive and complaining." Benji answered. "Thought I am beginning to feel evil and chaotic because of her ranting." "Don't do anything harsh there." Kayama said. "She is just a young girl that for sure must be scared of the undead and demons that took over the school." "Actually I am thinking that the undead and demons are avoiding her." Benji commented. "Anyway I will shut her up and see if I can get inside."

"Shut up okay?" Benji asks to the girl in a cold tone. "I have to enter on that school and I need to hear if I can get the combination of that door right." "I am not going to stay silence after you nearly shot my head off!" She protested. "You want me to fix that mistake?" Benji asked turning to the door. "I can always blain an undead for your death."

Benji's words makes the girl jaw slack open with shock and then she snaps it shut scared that he might actually do what he threatened. "Now why you got outside?" Benji asked to her, knowing that could help him to get inside. "I was strolling around the garden when everything began." She answered not wanting to provoke Benji. "When I noticed I saw most of the students and teachers running out of the school and then everything got on the lockdown mode."

Benji sighs while taking out his right gauntlet and gloves, he wasn't expecting much but that was even worse that his small expectations. "You keep your eyes open and if anything that isn't human gets in you field of vision let me know so I can kill it." Benji said rubbing his fingertips on his pants to make them more sensible. The girl nods and stays near Benji but looking around the garden.

It takes more than ten minutes for Benji to unlock the combination lock. "Two more to go." Benji commented putting his right hand glove and gauntlet. "I won't look around." He pulls a dynamite stick from his pack and a detonator and squeezes it in the space between the door and the door frame between the hinges.

He walks away from the door and the girl follows him since she doesn't want to get caught on the blast, Benji activates the detonator and the door explodes. (Why wasn't that easy in Resident Evil?) Benji asked now moving back to the destroyed door. The girl is muttering about over violent gaijin while stay few steps behind Benji.

Inside the school Benji does exactly what he did on the garden, kill every single enemy opening his way through the halls trying to gather whoever stayed behind and that is still alive. Benji is quite surprised that he actually found more than thirty students and three teachers alive, unharmed and well on the cafeteria. What surprises him most is seeing that one of the girls looks exactly like him, if he was born a woman, even her hair is styled as his.

"You know that is really, really weird." Benji commented looking at the girl blue eyes. "Taking out hair, eyes and skin color you look exactly like me." 'And I passed by a lot of weird events since I arrived on this world, not even considering that I am not from this world' Benji added on his mind. The girl stays quiet also studying Benji. Benji is by far taller than she is, what is natural considering that she is fifteen years old and Benji is twenty two years old man and isn't fully Japanese.

"Mind in staring at her later? We want to get out of here." One of the girls asked to Benji. "You are better stay in silence." The girl from the garden said to the other. "He is dangerous." "Anyway I am going to out and try to find whatever is bringing the demons." Benji said moving out of the cafeteria. "You all stay here and lock the doors again." They all nod and watch Benji leave. Benji resumes his fate of killing everything that isn't alive or that doesn't wear a miniskirt.

One hour passed since Benji entered in the Otome Gakuen, on his score Benji killed around seven hundred undeads among zombies, skeletons and even few vampires, he faced around fifty imps, some attack dogs, flying books, attacking chairs, even a berserker bed, yet all that isn't scary or fearsome when comparing to the threat of what seems to be a purple and green T-rex with three meters tall.

"Die brainwashing scum!" Benji shouts emptying the 97 rounds magazine on the creature of pure evil and madness, the bullets did a good damage by ripping out the creature's legs. Benji ejects the empty magazine and changes for a loaded one; he places the machine gun in a sling on his back and draws the sword. "Eat steel rapist of wisdom!" Benji shouted smashing the sword against the creature's stomach. Repeatedly, often, hard and he doesn't seem that will stop until that purple dinosaur is nothing more than a bloody pulp.

Ten minutes later Benji is leaving behind a bloody mess that once was a purple dinosaur. "Now I feel so much better." He muttered in a sing song voice, content that whoever is behind this was kind enough to send something that he hated so he could unleash some pended up frustration. Benji begins to hum a tune while chopping off another zombie head. (Face me evil bastards, smell the hate of angels. Glory, pride and bloodshed…)

The soft sound of steps on the carpeted floor makes Benji twist in a blur of movement spinning his sword hard and bringing it down in a brutal arc to whatever is trying to sneak behind him. With her neck just a hair away from the keen edge of Benji's sword the blue haired girl that looked exactly like him stares at him frozen in shock.

"What the hell you are doing here?!" Benji asked nearly shouting at the girl. "You want to get yourself killed?!" While Benji is now a trained killer he still hates killing and if possible Benji would prefer not to kill, specially a teenager girl. "I…I…I w…was….curious…" she said in a scared whisper. "I wanted…to know more…of you…"

"And you sneaked out of the safety of the cafeteria to wander around unarmed in a school filled with evil creatures and a man armed to his teeth that is killing everything that moves here. Okay I am a bit flattered with that but aren't enough reason for it." Benji said in a serious tone. "If I didn't noticed that you wasn't a demon your head would be on the floor now."

"Come on I will take you to the cafeteria." Benji said holding her elbow. She squirms and escapes from his grip. "I am not unarmed I can also fight." She said showing to him a tanto knife. Benji wants to laugh, he really does, and it was a serious situation. "That knife doesn't do much good against the zombies. It doesn't even have enough edge to slice through a zombie neck and you don't seem to be strong enough for that." He says in a serious tone.

Benji finds that as he, that girl also has a temper. Benji leans his upper body back avoiding a slash on his neck. The girl keeps attacking with a fury of blows, but Benji is always one millimeter away from the tip of the edge.

Benji grabs her wrist and squeezes it hard; his metal covered hand pressure is enough to make the girl drop her knife. She looks at his eyes angrily. "I give to you the fact that you have the spirit but that isn't enough." Benji said. "What is your name?" "Misono." She answered. "Misono Chizuru."

"As I said Chizuru that knife isn't enough." Benji said releasing her wrist, he pulls an altered Thompson from the holster and hands to her with three extra magazines. "This will be better. Aim for the head and spare your ammo, I was forgetting, use both hands to hold it when firing."

She nods taking the machine pistol surprised. "Stay near me but far enough so I won't hit you by accident." Benji continued, while picking the fallen knife. "You will be staying with me until we pass near the cafeteria where I will leave you." she nods taking the knife from him. Benji begins to walk and Chizuru runs a little to catch up with him.

Chizuru watches Benji tearing his way through the halls not looking back and only pressing forward, all the demons, undeads and other creatures meet their end on his blade or bullets first. She breathes hard trying too keep up with Benji that keeps running over the fallen corpses of the demons and monsters trying to find the source of those creatures. They enter in a room that there is only one creature and Chizuru hears Benji muttering something like sounded like 'Mini-boss.'

Benji charges at the creature and Chizuru seeks for shelter. Benji slashes the monstrous sized wolf with his sword; Benji leaps backwards avoiding a bite from the wolf. "Open wide." Benji hissed lighting a dynamite stick and tossing on the wolf's throat. The detonation kills the wolf spraying blood over most of the room.

Benji keeps moving trying to see if the wolf creature was causing the others to appear, knowing that it was very unlikely. Chizuru follows Benji and finds him dealing with more undeads.

Half an hour later Benji is resting leaning against a wall, he managed to take Chizuru to the cafeteria where she will be safer than with him. He takes his right hand from his side and looks at the blood staining on it. "This isn't good at all…" he muttered tiredly. "I lost too much blood by giving it to make the vaccine to the others, the half litter of serum wasn't enough and the Erythropoietin isn't working fast enough. My blood is too thin and if I lose more I will be in serious troubles."

Benji quickly treats the wound as best as he can and moves trying to find the location of what or whoever is causing the summonings and why the undeads keep reappearing. After nearly two hours moving around the school and getting angry because locked doors and riddles on the path that he had either to solve or look for the key Benji arrives on what he wants to think as the final boss area.

He is currently on the school's stage where the students train to become actresses. He can see a demoness standing there; she is a tall brunette with a beautiful face, long legs, narrow hips, voluptuous bottom, and enormous breasts and a pair of black bat like wings on her back, dressed only in what could have been a tube dress if had the portion of cloth covering her abdomen, stomach and lower breasts, actually there is only a three inches wide black circle of fabric covering her nipples, surrounding her breasts and back, on her hip is a tight black skirt that barely covers what needs to be covered. Just one word crossed Benji's mind. 'Succubus.'

Benji had to admit that he was surprised with the choice of the demon to lead the attack, however even the succubus being gorgeous Benji is used to that kind of think and came from a world that under dressing like that isn't all that uncommon, still as any true red blooded male Benji could feel his blood boiling. Benji inwardly was content with that, while he isn't naïve or a fool to fall for the demoness's charms the boiling testosterone will make him fight even fiercer.

"I congratulate you for coming this far in alone in such short notice." The demoness said in a very sensual deep throaty purr. Benji could feel the hair of the back of his neck bristling at her voice; he knew that she could make even the most innocent conversation sound like an invitation to sin. "Now that you reached this deep and far you will face me…"

Benji licks his lips wetting them and swallows feeling his hormones raging; months living with the hanagumi with out relief are taking the toll on him. "Accursed tight pants…" Benji muttered adjusting his pants. The demoness smiles and licks her lips in an enticing and sexy way before touching her lower lip with her right index finger. "I am flattered by that." She purred. "If you give up now I can take care of that for you…"

Benji wouldn't deny that it was a very temptating offer; however he wouldn't fall for it. Benji dashes at the demoness slamming the sword down. The demoness blocks the attack with a scythe, sparks jump in the air with the attack. Benji keeps pressing the attack pulling back and slamming the sword against the demoness hard, she blocks all the attacks moving backwards she does it.

The demoness leaps backwards and when landing jumps forward attacking. Benji blocks the attack with the sword while jumping forward to meet with the charging demoness. The sword shatters with the impact of the scythe; Benji continues his charge and drives the remaining five inches of the blade on the demoness abdomen and forcing upwards.

She coughs blood on his hair and back and kicks him away. Benji slides back and moves his body in order to keep his balance, the now bloody sword is still on his right hand and the demoness is covering the deep cut with her left hand. She removes her hand from the cut and licks the blood on her hand.

"Good, it isn't fun if you don't struggle." She said with a smile, the cut on her abdomen closes with only the blood that flowed staining her skin as proof of her wound. She attacks again with a diagonal slash. Benji blocks it by stabbing the scythe edge with his broken sword, the scythe blade slashes thru the edge and gets stuck on the guard. Benji forces the weapons down and draws a M1917 bayonet and stabs the demoness on her defenseless side.

The demoness screams in pain while Benji stabs her over and over again. She punches Benji away and holds her wounded side; Benji draws another bayonet holding one in each hand. The demoness blocks Benji's next barrage of attacks with her scythe, however the shorter range of the long bayonets makes hard for her to keep up with the scythe's long range.

Benji stabs the demoness on the thighs and grabs her by the neck easily avoiding the scythe. Benji lifts the demoness in a swift and strong move before slamming her down on the stage hard enough to break the boards under her. Stunned with the impact she doesn't resist when Benji rips the scythe from her hands tossing it away. Benji straddles the demoness and begins to punch her hard on the face drawing copious amounts of blood on each strike of his armored hands.

On the middle of the barrage of strikes she covers her face with her arms but Benji keeps punching hard having similar results on her arms as he was having with her face. The demoness squirms and manages to hold the side of Benji's neck with her feet and launch him away from her.

Benji spins on the air and lands neatly on his feet before dashing on the demoness direction once again. The demoness stands up and braces herself, Benji hits her with a full body tackle that makes the demoness fly backwards, yet she managed to hit with her foot Benji's wounded side making him stop his attacks.

Benji charges again while the demoness is healing her wounds. Benji hits her with a series of strikes, he grabs the bayonets on her thighs and stabs her again on her sides before grabbing her face with both hands preventing her from falling on the stage and kisses her hard.

The demoness is stunned with her eyes open wide looking at Benji's eerie glowing blue eyes. She begins to feel faint and then she realizes what is going on and struggles weakly against his strong grip. She tries to pry his hands from her but it is all futile and soon it is over.

The demoness's hands loose their grip on Benji's wrists and fall limp, hanging on her sides as the shine of life of her eyes begins to fade. The demoness's body twitches few times before her eyes close. Benji closes his eyes and a spark of energy leaps from the corner of his eyes and breaks in small droplets of energy before fading.

Benji open his eyes and releases the demoness, she hits the floor with a dull sound. Benji kneels besides her and removes one of the bayonets from her sides and buries his right hand on her long black hair, he aligns the blade on her neck and beheads her with a swift stroke. Benji stands up holding the severed head and the bloody knife; he looks to the door and sees Kayama and few more armed tsukigumi members looking at him shocked.

Benji easily guesses that during the finishing move the uncountable undeads and small demons vanished and the lockdown was canceled. Benji moves to them making the greener members of the team take few steps back. "Keep the head apart from the body and burn both in separated furnaces." Benji said to Kayama handing the head to him.

Benji is considerably surprised in seeing that even unnerved by it Kayama takes the head with shaking hands. "Make sure to not allow anyone to anything sexual to any parts of the corpse." Benji said in a serious tone. "I am not sure if she will come back with that, but I don't want to kill her again."

Kayama nods in a mix of surprise and disgust at the idea of someone using the corpse like that. Benji walks to the direction of the scythe that he discarded before and picks it up. "We will go check on the students now." Kayama said hurriedly leaving the audience seats of the stage.

Benji chuckles casually and spits something on his right hand; it is a dark red semi-transparent crystal of the size of a big marble. "That was an interesting discover." He whispered looking at the crystal. "So you are mine now. I should use that very carefully."

Benji pockets the crystal and rubs left side with a smile. "Now I understand why I couldn't repeat that odd healing thing from the hospital." He whispered walking to the exit of the stage. "I need to steal life force for it. And the hospital is filled with it since there is always people healing and dying there."

End of the chapter twenty eight:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count. The adult version of this story will be available shortly in the MediaMiner.


	30. Benji's admininstration

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter twenty nine: Benji's administration

Teito March fifth 1923; Thursday 9:13 AM

Benji is on the hospital looking at the hanagumi. "So how they are reacting?" Benji asked to the doctor. "It is a bit too soon to say for sure but we believe that everyone will recover to their perfect health." The doctor answered. "Even Tachibana-dono." Benji nods satisfied, if his blood was helping everyone he is happy in giving to them.

After few hours Benji is called to the theater, he goes there still feeling tired from the previous night battle, the lost blood and the not well slept night in the hospital. In there he finds that Maria wanted to speak with him, Benji grooms himself a bit, and he was still wearing the same clothes from the previous night battle. He arrived on the theater so tired that he didn't bother to change to sleep.

Maria greets him with a small smile, on that instant Benji knew that something wasn't right. During the next hour Benji chatted and sang to Maria until she felt in sleep. After Maria was sleeping soundly Benji grabs the doctor and interrogates him to find why Maria was so giggly and as he figured he didn't liked of the answer.

"You guys are giving morphine to Maria, but why that?" Benji asked restraining from chocking the doctor; Benji knows that morphine can be addictive. "While her condition seems to be improving she is still in pain because the coughs and other symptoms, that is why we are administrating the morphine, but in very small doses, just the enough to ease the pain." The doctor answered. "That is better being true." Benji hissed angrily. "If she gets addicted to that crap you will be meeting me on a dark corner in a dark night." the elder doctor shivers with fear at Benji's words and he didn't doubt that Benji would do it.

Benji leaves the doctor's lounge and glares at Yu that followed him to the hospital. "I want two tsukigumi members outside the room of everyone of Teigeki." Benji orders to the girl. "They all need to have medical knowledge and be trustworthy."

Yu salutes him nervously squealing a "Hai!" before running to obey the command. Benji clench his right hand making his battle gauntlet whimper with the strain on its joints, he smashes his fist against a wall easily driving it thru the not so solid wall making a group of nurses on the other side squeal and scream surprised.

"You seem ready to kill." Kayama commented looking at him. Benji carelessly removes his hand from the hole ignoring the damage caused on it. "I feel like killing that doctor." Benji replied trying to keep his voice level. "Anyway that Tanaka Yu girl said that you want eight medical members of the tsukigumi deployed here." Kayama said changing the subject. "Mind in explaining me why?"

"I don't trust on that doctor." Benji answered brushing the dust from his fist. "My instincts are telling me to prevent him from giving drugs to the girls, so I want them guarded by your medics to make sure that everything that they are receiving is the needed drugs as the vaccine and anti-biotics."

"What exactly your instinct is telling you?" Kayama asked in a serious tone, his casual face is gone when realizing the seriousness of Benji on the matter. "He might be trying to get them addicted to morphine and other drugs to have leverage on them." Benji answered seriously. "I have an idea of an addicted might do when in abstinence."

Kayama nods understanding his point of view, the worse is that he also knows what Benji means. Working in the intelligence branch of the defense force Kayama was forced to interact and look with the lowest kind of people for information and clues, it wasn't uncommon meeting addicts in drugs to use that weakness as source of information.

"I will have my most trustworthy medics here in twenty minutes; they will work in shifts and won't let the nurses give them any drug with out checking it first." Kayama said in a serious tone. "Good." Benji replied. "Anything on the responsible for yesterday's attack?" "Nothing." Kayama answered. "But it seems to be different than the Kuronosukai; we are still investigating the school and all the other corpses other than the demoness. As you ordered we cremated it." Benji nods confirming and stays in silence hearing the rest of the report.

After the report Benji walks around the halls feeling a bit calmer, he was glad to know that no one was serious injured from the assault on the Otome Gakuen, while used to kill Benji preferred not causing death especially of an innocent bystander in a fight. "OI Benji!" the familiar cheerful voice of Kanna takes Benji from his thoughts and makes him look at the open door of her shared room with Sumire.

"Hi Kanna." Benji said entering on the room. "Good to see you cheerful and healthy." "Thanks to you." Kanna replied with a bright smile. "But you seem beat." "You are filthy." Sumire spat looking at Benji's clothes. "I didn't have much time or energy to bath after a battle yesterday." Benji said with a small apologetic smile.

"An attack?" Both girls asked as one. "Nothing serious, it is already over and no one got hurt." Benji said pulling a chair and sitting between their beds. "But afterwards I was so tired that I slept like this and after I woke I got called here so no time to grooming up." Kanna replies Benji's smile with a sympathetic smile. "Work hard big boy, as soon we get the green light from those doctors we will join you." Kanna said cheerfully.

"Forget about that, just focus in getting better and don't worry about anything else." Benji said with a smile. "Leave the safety of the city on my hands and just get better." "Now I can't relax." Sumire said in a mock acid tone. "First being stuck with that ape on his room now having to worry about you wrecking the city while we are forced to stay in bed."

"Just bear it." Benji replied in the same way. "Either that or having your lungs eaten away by the illness." "Considering what I am getting injected with I prefer the illness." Sumire said in mock disgust. "A vaccine made from your blood that is so disgusting."

"Forget about the snake." Kanna said cheerfully. "We are all happy to know that we will beat this illness safely and with out damages, and it is all because of you." "I am glad to help, and just focus in getting better so you won't have to get more of my blood mixed with yours Dondoca." Benji said to them. "Well I will go see how the others are doing; Iris might be bored to death here." "As I am." Kanna commented casually. Sumire muttered a halfhearted insult and Benji leaves the room.

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In the hospital Yu looks at Maria through the room examination window. "She doesn't look as ill as she should be." Kayama said appearing behind the girl. She nearly jumps out of the window with the surprise yelling scared. "Sorry about it." Kayama said in an apologetic tone. "It is a bad habit from my line of work."

"I thought that my heart was going to stop." She said with her right hand over her left breast, she takes few calming breaths and looks at him. "You need anything sir?" she asks in a serious tone. "No." Kayama replied. "I am just making a patrol and seeing how everyone is doing."

Yu nods understanding. "Vice-captain Tachibana's condition is far worse than the others." She said in a serious tone. "I overheard the doctors and nurses speaking, no one actually believes that she will make it." Kayama commented seriously. "They are just saying that she will make it to ease Himura's mind, he seems to be the only one that truly believes that she will not only make it but she will be as healthy as she was before."

"I wonder if he is lying to himself or being naïve." Yu commented absentminded, she slaps her mouth when realizing her words. "Don't worry about it." Kayama said casually. "To be honest I am beginning to think that he is very certain that she will make it and it is not a self told lie or naivety."

"Then what is it?" Yu asked confused. "Maybe faith, maybe hope I can't know for sure." Kayama replied. "But he is so certain that she will heal that Maria can feel it from him, I am quite sure that the reason of his certain is that he knows that Maria can feel it from him and that she will get better knowing that he believes on her and she will begin to believe on her recovery."

Yu looks surprised at Kayama's words. "He actually believes on that?" she asks surprised. "That is what I am reading from his actions." Kayama answered. "No one other than Benji actually visits Maria, even the doctors and nurses only go in with masks and protections in fear of getting infected and treat her like a plague bearer."

Yu looks at Maria with a worried expression. "We aren't much different than the doctors." She commented. "I look up to Vice-captain Tachibana but I am scared to death of entering on the room, I am even scared of be close of Captain Himura knowing that he is exposed to the illness."

"No one can blain you." Kayama said in a light tone. "I am also worried about it, I guess that it is that lack of worry and I don't know how to call his actions that make him so unique and important to the hanagumi. Just ready yourself for duty and do your best, no one will ask for more than that." Yu nods and salutes Kayama that walks way. "Unshakable faith…" Yu whispered looking at Maria. "That is why he is on the team? Or there are more reasons that he was selected? You know the answer Vice-captain Tachibana?"

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Maria looks around and doesn't recognize her surroundings, she is standing on the middle of an field covered with short trees planted in lines with a little over two meters of space between each line. A heavy rain is falling from the gray sky turning the ground in a slippery mud pit.

A now familiar war cry cuts the air nearly instantly followed by a howl of pain, Maria runs to the direction of the scream and sees Benji with a heavy crowbar on his hands, his clothes are caked with blood and mud, soaked with water and torn in many places, at his boot clad feet there is a sea of fallen men some unconscious others moaning in pain but unable to stand.

Benji tosses the crowbar in the air and grabs the hook, holding the bar parallel to his right arm and he punches hard the face of a man armed with a crude wood club knocking the guy out. He spins on his heels and slams the metal bar against another man, changing his grip on the tool and brandishing it as one would with a sword Benji continue to swing the tool in large brutal arcs taking down everyone that got too close.

Maria watches in silence, now used to his style and wondering why it is so crude, not so far from the field she can see a group of six people, men and women looking at the fight on the way to them many fallen men. Some who could still stand are aiding the others moving them out of the battlefield.

A series of shouts makes Maria turn her face back to Benji; all the remaining standing men toss their weapons down and raise their hands in a sign of defeat. Maria looks in silence Benji tossing his hand holding the crowbar high before letting out a victory howl, knowing too well that it actually was a terror tactic to scare his enemies; he had used that many times on their time in the dead grounds.

Benji nails the crowbar in the mud and leans forward holding his knees, taking many tired breathes as the icy rain washes his body. Now that Benji isn't moving anymore Maria can take a good look on him, she gasps in surprise seeing his face, younger than she is used to see. Before she can notice anything else a feminine voice says something that she can't understand.

Benji straightens up and tosses the crowbar at an average height brunette woman's feet. He walks away ignoring her following words. Maria can't help in smiling seeing that he can still easily infuriate others.

She follows Benji as he leaves the tree covered area, she looks around when they leave the edge of the tree line, they are standing on an asphalted road, in front of them there is a large grass covered soccer field, at their left is a gate, a road and a large building, at their right there is many small houses, a much larger building much behind with another large building on its left.

Benji walks towards the buildings ignoring the calls from the small woods. Maria absent minded looks around trying to understand the unfamiliar style of the buildings, Maria is surprised to find herself inside what seems to be a large warehouse filled with ugly metal bunker beds.

Benji pulls a key chain from his pocket and unlocks a locker pulling from it a set of clean shorts and a towel, suddenly Benji slams his fist at Maria. She cringes and tries to block, to her shock his arm passes by her body and hits a very skinny and sleazy looking young man. Benji gives a small leap forward packing three punches on the man's chest before he can even fall from the impact of the first strike.

Maria cringe in sympathy when hearing the cracking sound of bone smashing against wood, Benji slammed the man's body against another wall of lockers and while pressing his body against the wall lifts the man from the ground a good meter. She can hear a small whimper mixed with a pained cry, Benji drops the man that hurriedly crawls away from the large dorm.

Benji sighed picking down a crude knife from the floor and tossing it inside his open locker. She turns away when seeing him taking out his shirt, she curses when seeing the dirty shirt flying passes her and landing on an overfilled trash can. 'What is going on?' she thinks hearing the sound of a shower running and easily guessing who was in. 'I am dreaming of something or is related to his blood on my veins?'

She doesn't pay much attention to the slowly increasing number of young men entering in the dorm, she barely notices Benji moving to the locker with a pair of dark blue short and dressing up a pair of jeans pants, a white t-shirt and a pair of black socks before locking the locker once more and lying in the lower bed of the bunker near of the locker.

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Benji sighs tiredly inside one of the theater's cars. "You are feeling well Captain?" A woman with dark metallic purple hair and red eyes asks to Benji. "I am just tired Yoriko." Benji answered. "Thanks for the concern." "You are welcome sir, you work very hard for the safety of the city, this is the least that I could do." Yoriko replied with a smile.

Benji smiles a little seeing Yoriko's smile on the rearview mirror. "How is the status?" he asks in a serious tone. "The Otome Gakuen is once again secured and a cover story was already given to the media." Yoriko replied seriously. "Mio and Tsugumi are working in the theater dealing with the reports of the yumegumi related to the fallen demoness; the tsukigumi is due to send their reports after they finish investigating the school with the experts of the yumegumi."

"How much you girls slept?" Benji asked looking at her eyes on the mirror. "I made Yu, Mio and Tsugumi sleep after you returned from the school, they woke at seven AM." Yoriko answered with a smile. "And you?" Benji questioned seriously. "I got few more hours than you had sir." Yoriko answered with a meek smile. "I feel bad in resting when the main group is ill and no one else is able to work."

"You need the rest as much as everyone else, if you don't sleep you won't work well." Benji said in a serious tone. "It is more productive to you sleep and work better." "That goes for you too sir." Yoriko shot back. "I will sleep when I have the time." Benji replied with a shrug. "Sadly I am the leading operative on this mess so I have to oversee everything, not to mention that I am the only one that can fight the threats so when I have time I sleep."

"You didn't get much time." Yoriko commented seriously. "The vice-captain Tachibana called you taking some hours from your sleep." "I don't really mind and it was good because one of the doctors decided to give morphine to her." Benji said in a serious with a dangerous edge on his tone. "My instincts are telling me that he want to hook the hanagumi on morphine."

Yoriko nods understanding, while she doesn't fully trust on Benji's instincts she interacted much with him on the trainings and her former position in the yumegumi make her unable to rule out those faint feelings and notions from instinct and other forms of senses or feelings, also being the first member of Benji's kazegumi and finger picked by him she feels unable to deny the notion of following instincts.

After Benji's return from Iga and the development of the real opponent training sections Yoneda allowed Benji to create a group that would operate for him as the kazegumi did to the hanagumi, she heard from Ayame that on the following week Benji read files after files from members of the tsukigumi, yumegumi and students from the Otome Gakuen to select the members for that group.

She still remembered when she was picked from the large ranks of the yumegumi and she was still confused of how he selected her of all the women in the group, even ignoring the ones with bigger spiritual energy and better techniques. It was still clear on her mind's eye how Benji over towered even the tallest one of them, how his presence felt menacing, strong, charismatic and animal, and how his eyes seemed to pierce her being scanning her spirit and stripping her heart.

When he pointed at her and called her name Yoriko nearly fainted with the sheer pressure of being the one selected among so many yumegumi girls, his eyes while he told that he would expect nothing other than the best from her seemed to make her a little girl even thought she was two years older than him, a fact just learned much later.

As Ayame explained her new role on the still unnamed team Yoriko began to feel more and more inadequate for the job, she didn't knew anything about combat strategies or tactics, she barely knew the prayers to be in the yumegumi. Benji just said that she would learn as she worked, he knew that she wouldn't be perfect in the beginning and ask long she learned from her mistakes and improved she would be fitting on his unit as long she worked with the others and followed the commands.

Yoriko begin to feel the pressure when Ayame told that she would be going with them while Benji would select the other two members of the team, Mio was the second one to join. It surprised Yoriko to see Benji choosing that prideful raven haired girl from a traditional family since she was still studying on the Otome Gakuen, Benji said nearly the same thing to Mio that he have said to Yoriko.

Yu was the last one to be selected to the team and she was taken from the tsukigumi ranks, Yu was still a novice rookie on the team and haven't even went on her first field mission when she was selected. The first time of the group together was a bit odd considering their backgrounds, but Benji had made them understand their places with few words in a commanding tone and soon they were working well together.

For the first month the team was composed only by them until one day Benji appeared with the rather mysterious Tsugumi. As Mio Tsugumi have black hair but depending of the light her hair looked purplish when Mio's was pure black. Yoriko began noticing on the team that they all had unusual eye colors and wondered if it meant something on his selection, other than herself and Yu that had purple and orange hair the others had black hair, and their hair color even uncommon wasn't all that unusual.

For Yoriko the biggest mystery of the team was what are the reasons that Benji selected them and why they had a secret base hidden from the two commanders, even worse they were housed by a woman totally unrelated to the defense force other than a connection with Benji.

Yoriko noticed that Benji fell in sleep while she drives to the nearest entrance to the theater's underground base, she smiles understanding since he is under a lot of stress and lacking sleep, she slows a little knowing that as soon they enter on the base he will be back on his feet to command everything, the least that she could do is buy him few more minutes of rest.

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Maria wakes in her room feeling very tired, the IV drip continuously giving her rich blood and plasma from Benji. She looks at the half empty container filled with the dark red liquid. "I wonder if this migraine is part of the illness…" she muttered rubbing her forehead with her right hand.

She had the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something that could be important; it was near of her reach but still just a little far making her unable to remember what she saw on her dream.

Maria sighs tiredly vaguely recalling of Benji's visit and how she was acting on it, she searches for the button to call the nurse. After few moments a nurse wearing a mask enter on the room, Maria hides her displeasure at the sight. "Where is Himura?" Maria asked going straight to the point.

"Himura-san was called back to the theater to deal with pending issues." The nurse answered from the door. "Why those two are out there?" Maria asked seeing the two members of the tsukigumi outside her room. "They were ordered to stay there and watch the treatment." The nurse answered. "I will call the assistant of Himura-san so she can explain to you in details."

Maria ignores the nurse rushing out of the room with that excuse knowing that Benji doesn't have an assistant. After few minutes Yu enters on the room wearing only her uniform. "I was informed that you have awakened and wants to know about the two operatives outside the room." She says in a gentle tone. "I am Tanaka Yu; I am one of the members of Captain Himura's ura kazegumi. If you have any questions and that I can answer I will answer them Vice-captain Tachibana."

Maria is lightly surprised with Yu's words. "Why there are two guards outside my room?" Maria asked in a serious tone. "Captain Himura asked to the tsukigumi send medical operatives to the hospital to ensure the reliability of the treatment of all the members of the Teigeki." Yu answered politely, not actually knowing the true reason of the medical guard.

"What caused him to order that?" Maria asked knowing Benji well enough to know that he had a reason to the sudden decision. Yu stays in silence for few moments. "Because you received a dose of morphine." Yu said in a serious tone. "Captain Himura wasn't sure if was because you requested a painkiller or it was decision of the doctor, so until the effect passed they are supposed to prevent you from receiving a second shot."

Maria nods understanding and it wasn't really hard to figure his reasons, after playing war games with him as long as she did she knew his reasons. "I understand now." Maria spoke after few moments of silence. "Just let me know when he is available to come here and talk to me." "Yes ma'am." Yu replied with a salute. "What should I say to the two agents?"

"That they shouldn't let anyone try to give me morphine." Maria answered. "I haven't requested any and I am not feeling pain." "Anything else ma'am?" Yu asked. "No, you are dismissed now." Maria replied. Yu saluted Maria and left the room.

Maria leans back on her bed and sighs. "I guess that I should thank him for that too later." She whispered looking at the blood bag.

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In her room with Sakura and Kohran Iris is crying because she wasn't able to see Benji. "Iris-chan he didn't want to wake you up when he came to visit." Sakura said to the little girl in a gentle tone, it was true since Iris was napping when Benji visited the trio to check on them. "Benji-niichan hates Iris!" Iris cried ignoring the two older girls' words. "After everything bad that Iris caused he must hate Iris."

Sakura sighs inwardly; she was expecting Iris to react like that when Benji appeared when she was napping. It was such a quick visit that wasn't worth to wake Iris from her nap; she was sleeping badly in the hospital and needed the sleep. "Benji-han doesn't hate you Iris-chan, he is just busy he was barely able to sit down to chat for few minutes before having to leave again." Kohran added. Iris continues to ignore the duo crying that Benji hates her and how bad she is. Sakura hopes that Benji appears soon to calm the girl, being so restless wouldn't help her to recover.

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Yoriko parks the car inside the garage of Benji's division headquarters after a call from Mio. Benji wakes with the car stopping and looks around a bit dazed. "We are inside the Midnight Illusions." Yoriko says to Benji. "Why we are here?" Benji asks leaving the car. "I was informed by the Vice-commander that Eri from the Kanzaki industries requested a meeting and that the armory is ready to be used." Yoriko answered in a casual tone.

"I see." Benji replied. "Where is the Kanzaki girl?" "She is waiting on the meeting room two but I strongly advice that you clean up before meeting here." Yoriko answered now in a casual tone, she discovered a long ago that Benji didn't mind some friendly behavior in the right moments. "You don't smell like roses after fighting, sweating and sleeping on those clothes."

Benji stops walking and sniffs his clothes. "Point taken." He commented frowning a bit at the mixed scent of old blood, sweat and gunpowder. "And you could use the bath to relax because you look like something that death carried on the suitcase." Yoriko added. "Knowing my track record you could be right." Benji commented casually. "Well I will hit the showers; tell to the Kanzaki girl to wait for ten more minutes." Yoriko nodded. "I will tell to the vice-commander to take you clothes and take the bleach." She said walking away.

Benji ignores the remark and stretches tiredly. "If the pay wasn't good I wouldn't be doing this much." He muttered walking to the shower room. "Organizing an underground secret group, training them, founding, leading, fighting and creating a successful company out of the blue in few months are a tiresome job."

Benji tosses his clothes inside an empty basket in the shower room and places the weapons in a locker. "Tayu is also doing a hell of a job dealing with everything when I am not around." He mused entering in a stall. "Things wouldn't be this advances if she wasn't around. Just some base ideas, designs and concepts and she turned into a large company using only our founds and most of my paycheck."

"Want company in there?" A familiar feminine voice asks to Benji. "Thank you but no thank you." Benji replied casually. "The last thing that I need now is to lose hormones that are keeping me standing." "One day I will discover why you keep turning down our advances." Tayu commented casually. "I told you over and over, I help you and the others because I want to, I don't want any kind of sexual rewards for aiding." Benji answered.

"I know, but it isn't sexual rewards but our honest feelings." Tayu replied. "Putting that aside for the moment." She said changing the subject and placing a clean set of clothes on a bench. "We received the confirmation of the incineration of the demoness."

"That is good to hear." Benji commented scrubbing himself. "We also advanced in the repairs of your motorcycle; the armory is currently with twenty percent of the capacity." Tayu continued now organizing the weapons on Benji's locker. "We are still arranging for the items of larger caliber for the armory."

"It is a pleasing mark for something created in such short notice." Benji said. "Indeed but for our needs isn't satisfactory." Tayu replied. "You are too demanding on yourself." Benji said rinsing the soap from his body. "You created this only from a bunch of ideas and a not so big amount of money in a period of three months. It is an impressive feat of administration."

Tayu blushes at his words. "You praise makes everything worth my lord." She replied in a soft tone. "Your ideas of products and concepts made this growth possible." "It wouldn't be the same with your talents." Benji said. "We have a fully functional underground base near of the base of the Imperial defense force and a large base and training site in the pleasure district, all because you made it possible."

"It wouldn't happen with out your presence my lord." Tayu exclaimed embarrassed. "Everyone is working hard for you, I am just one of them doing my best for my lord." "I thought that you had understood by now that I am not a noble and that I feel uncomfortable being called 'my lord'." Benji commented leaving the stall with a towel around his waist.

"I understand that my lord, even you allowing us to treat you as your equal we are your vassals and you are our lord." Tayu said looking away from him. "Anyone of us think the same thing, we will follow any order that you give us even if cost our lives."

Benji sighs inwardly with the fervent devotion of Tayu, he was content too but he didn't want to raise false hopes on her and in the others.

End of the chapter twenty nine:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.


	31. Rain and blood

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter thirty: Rain and blood

Teito March fifth 1923; Thursday 3:34 PM

Benji and Tayu are walking on the halls of the base; Benji is combing his damp hair with his fingers while Tayu is giving a report about their current condition and equipment. Benji hears absent minded, he is worried about the hanagumi and fearing more attacks from the kuronosukai he fears being unable to defend the city against another attack all by himself.

The meeting with Eri is quick and Benji gives her more details in using the destroyed kishis in a more effective way, naming a way that doesn't lead to berserking killing machines, he also arranges a contract between her company and the one that he organized with Tayu so they can have more freedom in arranging machinery and equipment.

Eri hides her displeasure at the distant treatment that she is receiving from Benji, she understands that in that moment he isn't a normal soldier as he was every other time that they met, but he was a commanding officer with the weight of his base, personal and responsibilities on his shoulders.

An alarm cuts the air making Benji and Tayu run out of the room, Eri tries to follow but the same girl that escorted her there prevents the attempt. "Status!" Benji shouts entering on the commanding center of the base. "Kurosukai attack." Mio answered. "Miroku, Rasetsu, Setsuna and Peçonha are leading the attack with several wakijis causing destruction."

"The area around the attack is being evacuated and secured by the army, tsukigumi and the police." Yoriko shouts from her own seat. "I will be moving out." Benji shouts getting the location on a screen. "I will hit the armory first so get me a fast transport!" "Ryokai!" the girls replied as one.

In the armory Benji grabs a pair of pistols and a belt filled with magazines for it, he grabs a rifle and few knifes before leaving the armory in the same speed as he entered. "My lord!" Tayu shouts making Benji look at her direction, he sees a sheathed sword midway in the air and grabs it. "It isn't the proper for your use but it was the only one that we were able to acquire."

"Thanks and good job!" Benji replied placing the sheathed long sword on back. A shrill whistle make Benji look to another direction and he sees Tsugumi pointing at a sport styled motorcycle, Benji changes his path and runs to it. "It isn't finished but is the faster one that we have." She says while Benji rides on it and riding behind him. "And it doesn't have brakes."

"Not that I mind but why you are coming?" Benji asks starting the engine. "We want to get this prototype back in one piece so when you leave I will be taking this back here." Tsugumi answered. "Sounds like a plan." Benji replied speeding off.

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Benji clutches his left arm in pain, he knew that he wouldn't have a chance against a master using the art that he masters, what Benji wasn't expecting was that Satan would appear in the attack.

What saved Benji's life from massive blood loss from a severed arm was the layers of armor, silk and leather of his clothes, with out them Benji would have lost his arm with Satan's vicious sudden slash. Benji was barely able to hit the leader of the kuronosukai with his pistol before running to a less dangerous position.

Thick drops of blood falls on the cold curb and Benji takes deep breathes feeling the effort of the battle, before Satan appeared and the others decided to attack Benji was managing to destroy the wakijis with out much trouble, when Peçonha and the others began attacking Benji suffered to keep distance from them while hitting them with shurikens and bullets.

It pleased Benji to find that Tayu did managed to produce a explosive bolt to his Kanzaki gauntlets, Rasetsu was the one that received most of them, Setsuna was unable to attack well thanks to Benji's hentai barrier, Miroku was painfully annoying with her hairpins and flying adding to Peçonha's ninja skills giving most trouble to Benji.

Benji can hear the sound of the kuronosukai approaching and hopes that with his desperate attacks at least Satan and Rasetsu are out of combat. "What was I thinking when I said that I would be fine by myself against forces of evil?" Benji muttered. "For sure I don't know but I hope that your fall bring much pain to those useless dolls." Miroku said appearing behind Benji.

Benji jumps while turning to face her, he sees the metallic glean of her naginata before she hits him on the cut that Satan created. Benji falls with the wound now bigger than before. "He is mine." Peçonha said to Miroku that is ready to deliver the final blow. "Tsk, I won't even indulge you with a comment about being lazy." Miroku said walking away. "We will continue with the plan just wrap it up quickly and join us."

Peçonha look at Benji, his eyes are open but empty. "Shock…just those two hits wouldn't be enough to do this." She says walking closer of him. "Come on Benji you are stronger than that, don't die just because those two lame hits."

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"Just great I am having an Evangelion moment…" Benji muttered finding himself in the middle of darkness. "My, my aren't we cynical." An oddly familiar feminine voice echoed in the darkness. For one second lights seems to flicker and the darkness changes to an odd cave, Benji is standing over the plane stone floor few meters to his right there is a pond or a small lake of icy looking water, on his left is a tall stone wall on the dim light around Benji nothing else stands out.

Benji is looking at the direction of voice a much shorter young woman steps out of the darkness, Benji is shocked with her appearance. "That isn't possible." He said looking at the blonde haired girl. "You are a game character." Benji hits his forehead recalling his current situation. "Okay it is not impossible but how in name of hell I am now in Dividead's world?"

The source of his stress looks at him chuckling with her red eyes shinning mischievously; she runs her right hand fingers on her black skirt adjusting the fabric of her black and white uniform. "Don't tell me that you didn't like?" she asked looking at him with tears on her eyes and a sad voice. "I went in all this trouble to go on your memory and find myself a nice form to please you."

"Okay Haruka you lost me." Benji said recovering his wits at her reaction. "You are not Haruka Hojo from Dividead, a student and sorceress of the Asao private school?" "My design came from there." Haruka answered casually noticing that Benji didn't fell for her pout. "Since I don't really have a name or form I looked for one in your mind, this form; Haruka Hojo from Dividead suits my desire and functions."

"Desires and functions?" Benji asks confused, maybe is the whole experience or the blood loss but he didn't understand. "I am your guide." Haruka answered. "Wait a second there." Benji said raising his hand to stop the blonde. "I met my guide few days ago," Benji raise his hand to his shoulders height. "A hot red head this tall with a mix of Japanese and Arabic ethnicity."

"Djinn." Haruka comments casually. "And it is true she is your guide too. However she deals with arms and I deal with something else. Think a little why I would take this form? What in this Haruka made me decided in choosing it?" Benji stays in silence for few instants. "Her powers!" he exclaimed. "Bingo!" Haruka exclaimed cheerfully clapping her hands together in delight.

"Djinn deals and guide you with weaponry to strengthen your physical combat and I Haruka guide you spiritually. In lack of better term I am your spiritual guide." She explained in a serious tone. "And on this moment you need my guidance desperately."

Benji looks at her seriously deciding to dismiss his questions about her appearance and personality. "On this exact moment your body is lying on the ground, bleeding from your wound." Haruka continued. "But we both know that you can't die and I will cheat a little so you won't die, for the next minutes I will grant you some freedom so use it very well master. Learn as much as you can from what you do so you can repeat it and above everything feel what you have to feel to prevent damaging yourself, it pains me to cause you injuries because of the lack of control that you have. Now burn the stored power inside you."

Before Benji can say anything else he feels an indescribable heat on his chest and body as the cave just shatters as a wall of glass. "Limits were released." Haruka voice echoed. "Try not hurting yourself with my probing to the advancement, I understand that is a bad guiding but as you I don't know much…"

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Peçonha leaped backwards barely avoiding a vertical kick on her chin. "He was pretending?!" she exclaimed confused, seeing Benji leaping to his feet. She hurriedly summons her skeletal minions out of fear and surprise at the mysterious warmth emitted by Benji's body.

Peçonha as everyone other than Benji called Lisa looks at her friend with awe, she acknowledged that Benji changed in his time on that world but she never imagined seeing what she is seeing. A metallic blue aura is surrounding Benji with a cold but bright glow; she could feel what she could only describe as warmth flowing from him in waves.

Lisa wasn't a normal mid-thirties woman; quite often she acted much younger and indulged herself pleasures often related to young men, very often she dragged Benji to go out with her that usually ended with a fight against some drunken men and Benji having to carry her drunk.

Her connivance with him made her try things that he did and she enjoyed to discover that she liked some of them, as Benji she played RPG and computer games. While she couldn't find anything on her not big knowledge to relate to the phenomenon the closer thing that she had seem was in Diablo 2 in a paladin's aura.

The only word in her mind was victory, Benji's victory was not only clear but assured as the energy flows around him, the faint feeling on her body seemed to sweetly fill her heart with joy and warm her body as if it was reacting to his own feelings and sensations. "Victory…" she whispered as her minions attack Benji. "No one and nothing are sweeter than victory…"

As punctuating her words Benji easily destroy the minions turning them into dust. Lisa could see the faint outline of his lips on his silk mask and that smile made her feel even warmer, as bringing joy to her heart while he vanquish her forces with swift strokes of his now twin bladed sword.

She easily forgot that they are now enemies and not so long in the past they were in the verge of killing each other. "He still knows how to destroy with staffed weapons." She commented with a smile. Then the realization hits her hard as she sees sparks on the ground where Benji drives his sword stabilizing himself on a high speed curve, Benji is now speeding on her direction 'skating' on the air killing her skeletal minions with sword strikes as he approaches her. Lisa recover her senses from the numbing and warm joy from his energy and jumps out of the way avoiding a slash that would have cutted her in two.

Benji continues his motion moving past Lisa to a target that wouldn't be able to react fast enough. "Miroku!" Peçonha shouts seeing Benji charging at the demoness. Miroku looks back and reacts flying upwards, but that motion isn't enough to prevent Benji from hitting her.

Miroku howls in pain while her legs fall severed over the knees, Benji spins the glaive and buries it on the ground changing the direction of his motion. Unable to fight anymore Miroku flies away from the battle in hope of escape and heal her wounds, Satan returns to the battle and brings with him a new batch of wakijis.

Lisa summons a new horde of skeletal minions and sees Benji easily dispatching them in a mist of steel and lightning strikes. As the last of the creatures fall and noticing an opening Benji tosses his weapon on Satan. Benji shouts in victory seeing the broad triangular edge burring itself deep inside Satan's gut.

Benji stabilizes himself from the throw while Lisa summons few more minions. This time she notices that the ease from the strikes is now gone and Benji isn't moving as swiftly as he was before. Satan vanishes from the fight with the other two members of the kuronosukai.

'Benji still can't skate well!' Lisa shouts on her mind finally understanding Benji's actions. 'The glaive was to direct himself and stop when charging, he still can't break!' Benji charges at her dodging the remaining skeletal warrior. Lisa easily sidesteps the attack and Benji hits a lamppost dead on with his chest.

Lisa chuckles inwardly at Benji hugging the post and taking pained breathes. "You still don't skate well." She commented amused. "No wonder after all you did stop skating when you twisted your ankle when skating with roller blades. I am impressed that you could keep up for this long with out falling. But with out that glaive to act as rudder you can't maneuver all that well or stop, you can just charge forward."

Lisa dashes at him with her sword sheathed. Benji falls forward while spinning around his body landing sited in the curb with his back pressed against a wall. Lisa gasps spitting blood in pained coughs. She looks down to her stomach and sees a much cruder glaive on his right hand, buried deep on her abdomen with more than one meter of bloodied steel erupting from her back.

"You…stabbed me…" she stutters with her mask dampening with blood. "You…were…un…armed…" "I never told you about this lightning ability." Benji replied looking at her black eyes. "I used the metal from the post to make this." "How…could….you…do this…to me Benji…" she said with tears on her eyes, running on her face until her mask absorbs them. "You are in the wrong side." Benji answered with a sad tone, with a swift movement Benji buries the free edge of the glaive on the ground removing the edge from Lisa's body.

She falls forward on his waiting arms. "I…you…home…" she said in pained sobs as her blood falls on his body. The lamps from the nearby posts explode and Setsuna appears grabbing Lisa and vanishing before Benji slashed the air where he once was. "Fuck!" Benji swears cursing the child demon, inwardly Benji hoped that the kuronosukai had ways to treat Lisa while her would wasn't fatal it was for sure severe and with out treatment she would die.

Benji sighs feeling tired and drained, the pain of his wound long gone. From the cloudy sky rain begins to fall down on the city. Benji looks at the sky seeing light between the rain clouds while allowing the soothing cold drops wash down on his tired body filling him with a refreshing feeling of hope.

Benji runs hit right hand on his now soaked hair, feeling the icy water cooling off his hot body. "Thank you…" he whispered to whatever deity or entity behind that rain. He didn't care that was still winter and the water was just few degrees warmer from being frozen in hail, Benji looks at his wound just to find it fully healed with out even a scar. "Thanks Haruka."

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Much later on that night Maria wakes in her hospital room, she sighs in the dark room and turns on the room's light knowing that she won't be able to fall on sleep anymore; her sleeping hours are a mess thanks to staying in the bed all day.

Maria frowns finding the chair that Benji uses to sit beside her bed empty. "I guess that I can't blain him for leaving." She whispered knowing that he also needs the rest, and then a rather big black mass in the floor catches her eyes. It isn't hard to Maria identify the mass as Benji's back covered on his long coat.

The gentle rise and fall of his back shows to Maria that he is sleeping quietly on the floor fully dressed and using his arms as a pillow. Maria smiles at the scene she knows that she would deny but she was pleasantly shocked with the discovery. "Wake up." Maria said in a casual tone, she wouldn't tell him to leave but wouldn't thank him for staying either she wanted to chat more since she is unable to sleep.

"Hey Benji just wake up already." Maria called again; Benji squirms and stretches his body. Maria absent minded noticed the sound of his fingernails scratching the floor as he stretches, with the motion his coat falls from his body and Maria can see his muscles moving under his shirts as he continues to stretch in a feline way with his hair partially covering his face.

"Anything wrong Maria?" Benji asked sitting in the floor and running his hand on his hair to comb it. "Other than you sleeping on the floor, nothing." Maria asked teasingly. "I woke and I can't sleep anymore, staying on this bed all day is ruining my sleeping hours." "It isn't unusual." Benji said standing up and tossing his coat over the chair. "Want to talk about anything in particular?"

Maria sees Benji sitting on his chair and removing wrinkles from his clothes while she thinks in a good and not yet used subject to chat.

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A handful of hours later Benji leaves Maria's room, he checks the tsukigumi members by the door pleased to find them alert. Benji walks to the restroom muffling a tired yawn, he not only wanted but needed to sleep but Maria asked to talk with him and he wouldn't waste a chance of getting along with her.

After leaving the restroom Benji walks to a vending machine to buy something to drink, in a bench besides it he sees Yu sleeping uncomfortably on it. Benji approaches the girl and gently wakes her up. "Yu you can go back to the base." Benji says to the sleepy girl. "I am going to stay here tonight."

Yu nods tiredly at his words, Benji walks to a phone and call Yoriko to pick Yu. After twenty minutes Yoriko arrives wearing her uniform and aids the sleepy Yu to enter on the car. Benji aids the duo before returning to the hospital and Maria's room. "You took too long." She complained casually. "I found Yu sleeping in a bench so I called the theater and had someone to pick her up." Benji replied. Maria nods understanding and Benji sits on his chair.

End of the chapter thirty:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.


	32. Exhaustion

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter thirty one: Exhaustion

Teito March seventh 1923; Saturday 5:46 PM

Benji sits tiredly on a couch, the nurse responsible for taking his blood smiles at him sympathetically. Benji was wearing his uniform and it is torn in many places, the fabric is dirty with demons' blood, his own blood and dirt, under his eyes there are dark rings showing his lack of sleep and tiredness.

The nurse begins to collect the blood and gives to Benji an IV to repose the lost liquids. Benji decides to use the chance to get some rest but his desire isn't granted as Kayama enters on the room.

"We finished with the investigation of the last attacks." Kayama said on a serious tone. "The yumegumi is quite certain that there are two different forces behind the attacks of the last days. One of them is the kuronosukai, as you know they fight only with one of their members, wakijis, koumas and masoukiheis."

"I know that already." Benji replied. "Go to the point, I want to take a nap." Kamaya grins understanding, Benji was working around the clock and Maria was cutting his sleep. "The other is an unknown force and it is the one behind the attack on the shrine on the New Year and the Otome Gakuen, as well most of the attacks in the last days." Kayama continued. "We came to that conclusion after investigating the demons that you fought, considering the difference between them and how the attacks are different it is safe to assume that there are two different forces."

Benji sighs tiredly. "Good job, report to the commanders when the written report is done." Benji said to the sailor. "And tell them that I advise not telling to the others about it." Kayama nods and walks away.

The nurse closes the shutters of the window and walks away leaving Benji alone. Benji leans back on the couch and runs his right hand on his hair. "If this last much longer I don't know if I will be able to endure it." Benji muttered leaning his head back and looking at the ceiling.

Benji suddenly tenses and is about to jump out of the couch. "Now you shouldn't try to do that." An unfamiliar feminine voice tells him in a casual tone. "It would rip your veins if you do it." Benji still tense don't move since the tip of a scramasax pressed against his chest.

"I am not your enemy." She said casually. "To be honest I am friendly I am only here to tell you that I did not approve what you just said." Benji stays in silence starring into the woman's red eyes. "You are the only chance that everyone that you know here to survive, you don't need to last for more than five days from today so endure that long and everyone other than the first infected will be healed."

"And Maria?" Benji asks seriously. "She is the host so she won't heal that easily." She answered in the same tone. "While the treatment does help her the refining of your blood is removing something really important from what she is receiving and if you don't figure out what I am speaking about until the dawn of the sixth day from today she won't live to see the noon."

"And how you know that?" Benji hissed looking for a way to change the position that he is in. "I am here longer than you are, so I am a little more familiar with that kind of situation." She answered casually. "Remember you just need to push yourself this hard for more five days, endure it."

Benji is about to retort her words when she vanishes with a gust of wind. Benji looks around confused now not even seeing a hair of the purple haired woman that was speaking to him.

The nurse returns and Benji halfheartedly hears her commenting that the vial is filled and that he is free to move when she removes the needles from his arms. Benji ignores the sudden loss of one entire hour more worried in the woman's words than the lost of precious resting time.

Feeling faint Benji walks out of the room supporting himself on the wall. "You don't look too hot." Yoriko says looking at him with a sympathetic smile. "I am losing too much blood in a very short period of time adding to a severe lack of sleep." Benji replied trying to sound casual. "Just a normal day in a very busy and successful company."

"Maybe you should just rest tonight." Yoriko advised in a serious tone. "I understand that you don't want to leave Maria-san alone but you can't continue like this." "I will try but I won't make any promises, I will sleep when I can but I won't stop visiting her when I can and she asks for my company." Benji replied seriously. "No one else is visiting her; even the hospital staff is avoiding her."

Yoriko sighs in mock disappointment, she was getting used to the stubbornness of Benji especially when coming to that. "Anyway Chisato-san is on the hospital kitchen and said that I should take you there." "Chisato?" Benji asked confused. "The vice-commander." Yoriko replied raising an eyebrow at his question. "Ah…I am used to call her in another way, I still haven't got used to her real name." Benji said walking to the kitchen.

In the kitchen Benji sees Tayu working with a blender with her back turned to the door. "Chisato-san I brought the commander." Yoriko said in a casual tone. "Thank you Yoriko." Tayu said turning to them. "Just sit in that table over there and wait, I am nearly done with the vitamin."

"Thanks." Benji replied obeying. "Vitamin?" Yoriko asked confused. "I thought that you came here for an important meeting." "The well being of our commander is a very important issue." Chisato replied seriously but with a gentle smile. "He is working very hard for our safety and well being; he needs our support to perform well on his duties."

"I still don't understand why fix him a vitamin would help." Yoriko commented still confused. "If was just a plain vitamin in a regular day it wouldn't be of much help." Chisato replied casually. "But this one is special, very nutritious and tasty, filled with needed nutrients for his bloodless body."

Yoriko walks to the counter where Chisato is working and sees the ingredients on it. "Condensate milk, guarana in powder and in syrup, honey, lime, milk…" Yoriko said reading the labels. "And what is in those bottles?" "Vitamins, sugars and nutrients in raw state for easier absorption, energy refilling herb and grains." Chisato explained turning on the blender to mix everything together.

"He is going to drink that?" Yoriko asks surprised. "The idea is his, so is the basic recipe I am just improving it." Chisato answered with a smile, while adding some cubes of ice on the mix. After blending everything she removes the cup from the blender and pours the content in a large mug before taking it to Benji. Curious Yoriko scoops some of the mixture with her index finger and tastes it. "It is good!" she exclaimed surprised.

"I know." Chisato said watching Benji gulping down the thick mixture in one swing. "It isn't the first time that I made it. Just be careful because it might keep you awake tonight."

"Then why you are giving it to him?" Yoriko asks worried. "Because we need him alert and ready." Chisato answered. "I already got a supply of ingredients to keep him fueled with this for two weeks if needed." "I hope that isn't needed." Benji commented digging on his pockets for his medicines. "Here." Chisato said handing to him a full vial of erythropoietin.

"Thank you." Benji said opening the vial and downing half of it and washing down with the remaining vitamin. "Is that healthy?" Yoriko asks shocked with the sight. "In his state is the only way for him to survive." Chisato answered. "How many of those he took in the last days?"

"With this one I am on the second." Benji answered leaning forward on the table. Chisato smiles sympathetically and gently pats his head. "You are doing a good job." Chisato said in a comforting tone. "Rest a little until the vitamin kicks in." Benji nods tiredly allowing the longhaired brunette caress his now oily and hard hair, finding it quite soothing on his current state.

"Yu is sleeping now." Chisato said while Benji rests his head on his arms. "She is also very tired, she is up for two days trying to keep everything okay here in the hospital, and she is managing the tsukigumi agents in shifts." "I knew that she would be able to do it." Benji commented with his eyes closed.

"If isn't secret or troublesome mind in explaining why you selected us as you did?" Yoriko asks curious. "I wasn't the most powerful or the most capable member of the yumegumi. Why you picked me?" "For the same reason that I picked Yu and Mio." Benji answered casually. "And it is?" Yoriko asked in an eager tone. "You three have unusual eyes colors." Benji answered.

"Just that?!" Yoriko shouted confused. "Just that." Benji replied casually. "It is part of a personal theory that I am trying to see if is true." "And what is that theory?" Yoriko asks now doubting the wisdom of her leader." "Well my theory is that people with unusual and rare eye colors have a greater chance of possessing spirit energy or hidden abilities." Benji answered. "Since you three were in the branches of the defense force the spirit energy part is at least plausible."

Yoriko is now very confused. "Yoriko it wasn't only that." Benji said in a serious tone. "You might think that is silly or unreasonable, but I followed my instincts when I decided in who to choose. You command well Yu and Mio when we train with the hanagumi; you also worry with the well being and the development of the team, which is important. Yu deal with communication and transport, Mio is quite resourceful and skilled with the complex world of information and intelligence. I am sure that you remember that in the beginning you three didn't get along all well but now you gals are really close."

Yoriko nods confirming. "Now the three of you are a team working very well." Benji finished. "And that is what I wanted, the reasons behind my decisions aren't important." Yoriko nods understanding. "He has more reasons than that." Chisato says with a smile. "He just doesn't want to tell, don't question why you are part of the team when you are doing so well in the team, enjoy the experience." Once again Yoriko nods in silence.

"And Tsugumi?" Yoriko asked looking at Chisato. "She is for field activities." Chisato answered in Benji's place. "Field activities?" Yoriko asks now confused again. "Taking needed information or equipment to the field in dangerous situations." Chisato answered seriously.

Yoriko nods understanding, while the intricate organization of the team still was a mystery for her she could understand why the main team was selected, however how from a three girls team Benji came to lead a large and very secretive organization with its own armory and weaponry researches was a even bigger mystery that she was forbidden to speak to anyone that isn't under Benji's direct command, not even the main commanders of the defense force should be questioned about it.

A nurse enters the kitchen and calls Benji; the tired writer stands up and follows since Maria was requesting his presence. "He should just say no." Yoriko commented in an annoyed tone. "She is draining every sleeping moment that he gets." "She is lonely." Chisato replied in a serious tone. "No one other than our commander visits her, she is isolated from everyone else and the worse is that no one other than the commander believes on her recovery, she is afraid of dying alone and wants his company."

"It still doesn't give her the right of ordering him to keep her company." Yoriko said looking at the general direction of Maria's room. "She never ordered him to keep her company." Chisato said with a smile while cleaning up the kitchen. "He wants to keep her company so when she requests he keep her company and even when she doesn't he stays with her. He is doing because he wants to, his presence is easing her stay on the room and he believes that as long she believes on her recovery she will recover."

"Believes don't heal anything." Yoriko commented serious. "Actually they do." Chisato replied casually. "You would be impressed with the power of a true believe, I believe in our commander with my entire being and that fills me with strength to do everything that he needs me to do. Every girl in our unit other than the three of you of the ura kazegumi has the same believe that I do."

Yoriko stays in silence listening to the older woman's words. Chisato in Yoriko's opinion was gifted with an unearthly beauty, her long hair reaching to her knees fall from her shoulders in a black casket that sway lightly with every hint of movement, breeze or gesture, it shines softly as hinting the softness of the black casket, Yoriko as many of the girls of Benji's unit was jealous of their commander gorgeous hair.

Chisato was Benji's most trusted subordinate and held his approval to act on his behalf when he wasn't present, which was very often on their unit. Chisato dealt with the entire bureaucratic and financial sides of the unit and an uncountable amount of other responsibilities.

Yoriko was aware of Benji's trust on Chisato. It wasn't a secret that he trusted her with his arms, armor and even meals, and that Benji's trust was repaid with a unshakeable devotion and loyalty from the raven haired woman. Chisato was also know for using her beauty to get the most advantageous contracts and benefits for the unit while commanding not only the unit but the company that founds the unit.

Chisato is a little shorter than Benji and her body and face appears to be a masterpiece of a master artist brought to life by a higher force. Her manners are impeccable and she is polite even with the rudest man, never anyone saw Chisato lose her temper or calm, she faced the crises with a calm mind and intelligence above the average.

Yoriko couldn't help to look up at the woman in front of her for her qualities, but quite often she questions Chisato's skills and wisdom in allowing her to stay on her position, such devotion to Benji seemed to be unfitting to the military unit she is commanding.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Benji is in Maria's room in the theater, while unhappily doing what she asked him to he couldn't get the nagging feeling that something was wrong with Maria's sudden request. Deep inside the lowers drawer of her closet Benji finds the dark brown wood box that Maria asked for him to retrieve. Arranging everything as it was before Benji leaves the room to return to the hospital.

Back in the hospital Benji moves to Maria's room, in there Benji shows her the box announcing the successful retrieval of it. "Good." Maria said sitting on her bed, Benji hands the box to the Russian woman. "You said that you are lacking a proper knife and you are breaking combat knifes and bayonets in each combat." Maria said opening the box. "Take this one."

Maria shows him the now open box, inside there is an half meter long knife with a long curved edge, wood handle with brass details on it. "This is a trooper dagger made by Zlatoust Arms factory; I gained this when I joined the rebel army in the revolution, and however this knife was nothing more than dead weight that I carried for obligation. I think that you will find it useful."

Benji finds the design of the knife oddly Arabic and familiar, he could feel that was a good edge and would succeed where others failed. "If you are giving me this because you are thinking that you will die I won't accept it." Benji said in a serious tone, he wouldn't allow Maria to give things out as if she was dying and passing on things as her last will.

"First it is my choice to give it away or not, second I am not giving it to you." Maria replied in the same tone, she was inwardly happy about his actions but she wouldn't admit it to anyone. "I am borrowing it to you, I want it back in one piece, you are training me with knifes so I plan on using this one when I manage to beat you."

Benji smiles content. "In that case I will accept this loan." He said taking the knife from the box, oddly enough the grip on the handle was very comfortable and the pommel wasn't pressing on his hand. "And I will give you a collateral for the knife."

Before Maria can reply about not wanting one Benji takes out his golden chain with cross on it. "This is one of the few things to remind me of friends that I might never see again so it is precious to me." Benji said in a serious tone, placing the chain on Maria's right hand and gently closing it. "I might be wrong but Russia is a mostly catholic country and I am guessing that even not being a practitioner you are also catholic."

Maria nods confirming. "When I return the knife you give me my chain." Benji finished. "Deal." Maria replied seriously, she didn't really believe that she would live to him return the knife, but that small lie comforted her. "You can change the sheath or hilt if you want as long you don't damage anything and when you return it to me you return it as I gave you." Benji nods and places the sheathed knife on the back of his belt.

Much later on that evening Benji is once again walking on the hospital halls, Maria is sleeping, and everything else on that wing of the hospital is quiet, however a robed figure walking out of a room intrigues Benji. By the hair style and height Benji already figured who it was, the main question was why she left the room and how she passed by the guarding tsukigumi members. Benji made a mental note of beating those two if she slipped pass them unnoticed.

"Sumire what you are doing?" Benji asks to the heiress of the Kanzaki family. The frightened jump and cry of the much shorter girl takes a good chunk of stress from the Brazilian. Sumire run away not saying anything, Benji is confused but knows that he can't allow her to run like that.

Benji chases Sumire and grabs her by the elbow. "Sumire you can't run like this!" he said in a serious tone. Benji notices that Sumire's face is red with embarrassment and anger; she slaps him hard surprising him. A strong smell reaches Benji's nose and he looks down, Sumire now punches him hard. "Ouch…" He muttered rubbing his jaw. "If you try to look again I will kill you!" Sumire hissed grabbing his neck angrily.

Benji stays in silence understanding her anger, he have seen the cause of her anger. "Let go of me you barbarian!" Sumire exclaimed Benji let go of her arm. "This is your fault! I am so embarrassed!" "Just wait for me in there." Benji said in a level tone. "I will go to the theater and fetch a clean nightgown and robe."

"And I am supposed to stay like this until you come back?" Sumire replied angrily. "No." Benji replied. "Get yourself cleaned and throw the soiled ones in a bag from the restroom, wear this while I go to the theater." Benji takes out his coat and hands to the shorter girl. "I will take the dirty ones to the theater and toss on the laundry."

Sumire nods and takes the coat before entering on the restroom, few minutes later she leaves wrapped on Benji's torn coat and hands to him a bag. "Don't make me wait too long, I am tired." Sumire said wrapping the coat tighter around her now nude form. "I will go as fast as I can." Benji replied taking the bag. "Wait inside a stall, lock yourself in and wait, when I return I will call you." Sumire nods and enters on the restroom again.

Sumire waits quietly on the stall, with nothing else to do she searches the contents of Benji's pockets and the state of the torn coat. To her displeasure she doesn't find anything to amuse her, but she is surprised in seeing how damaged the coat is. She sniffs the fabric and feels a light scent of sweat, blood and water, she wonders if Benji washed the coat, yet she continues to keep the thick coat wrapped around her body to protect her from the cold.

After a while Sumire hears Benji's voice and leaves the stall, she finds him inside the restroom holding a small bag. She takes the bag and tells him to turn around, Benji does so. Sumire unwraps the coat and toss is over his left shoulder before dressing on the clean clothes that Benji gave her.

"Don't think that this sooths the anger that I am feeling." Sumire said now facing Benji. "I am sorry for that but if you had told me that you needed to come here I wouldn't have followed you." Benji replied. "Now go back to your room before anyone wonders why you aren't there." Sumire nods and walks away, Benji follows and moves to an empty room to catch some sleep.

"You found a broken naginata in my room didn't you?" Sumire said stopping walking but not turning to look at Benji. "I did, you left near your dresser." Benji replied looking at the chestnut haired girl over his shoulder. "I broke that one when training a while ago." Sumire continued. "You can use the blade if you think that it will help, I was going to throw away because the tang broke rendering it useless as naginata."

"If you don't mind I might take it." Benji replied. "Thanks for the offer." "I am just getting rid of it. It was either giving to you or throwing away." Sumire said tossing her hair over her shoulders ending the conversation by walking away.

End of the chapter thirty one:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.

Maria's scenario; second chapter

Chapter thirty one:

Maria sees Benji entering on her quarantine room, even now being used in seeing him walking inside it still surprised her that he always came visit her, almost neglecting everyone else. She also notices the state of his clothes showing the damage taken in the combats that he faced and wonders if her illness and the attacks were connected.

While trying to make an idly conversation Maria thinks about her condition and if she will truly recover from it, she felt that the vaccine was helping but she didn't felt that she was improving all that much, and Benji was the only one that visited her or even believes that she will recover. Maria is aware that the others must also be praying for her recover but since no one else were visiting she felt hard to believe on their believes.

After a while Maria tells Benji about a hidden box in her belongings that she wants him to retrieve for her, she is purposely vacant about the contents but is clear that she wants that box. Maria watches with some heaviness on her heart to see her only company walking away.

In the next half an hour Maria tries to keep herself amused while waiting, wondering if she should have accepted the offer of picking any book from the theater's library. Benji arrives with the box and Maria looks at it inwardly content that he found the right one. Sited on his chair Benji waits for Maria to say anything, Maria opens the box and closes it again.

"Benji you mind if we change the location?" Maria asked in a serious tone, yet he could detect a pleading hint in her voice. "I am sick of staying locked here all day; we don't have to leave the hospital." Benji nods understanding. "I think that we can go to the roof, this time of the day it is empty." Benji replied. "However you will put on your coat over your pajamas."

Maria nods agreeing while making a remark about not being needed and how he was treating her as a child, inwardly Maria was content with his worry. Benji helps Maria to put on her coat and buttoning it. Maria is content that she isn't with anything connected to the IV line in her hand so she can move freely.

"We can't use the halls." Benji said handing to Maria a mask. "Put it on while we are on our way to the roof." Maria nods agreeing and sees him opening the window of the room, even knowing that the room's exhausting system keeps the air clean Maria can't help in worrying about her illness spreading.

Shoving those fears away Maria braces herself for the much needed change of environment she is dying to breathe fresh air instead of sterile air. Maria hides the content of the box inside her coat and moves to Benji. He quickly tells her to hold on him and not let go while he climbs to the roof.

Maria nods in silence impressed with his action, holding on his clothes Maria watches while Benji skillfully climbs on the building with out the aid of any kind of gear. In a couple of minutes they are in the roof sited in a bench, Maria removes her mask and takes a deep breath filling her lungs with the cool air of the dusk, she exhales on the mask to prevent spreading the illness.

"Thank you." Maria said looking at the burning sky. "You are welcome." Benji replied contend that Maria is feeling better with the change of airs. "Not only for this." Maria continued not looking at Benji. "For accepting to be the source of the vaccine and for giving me your blood to aid me, I am thankful for your actions."

"You are welcome." Benji said in a casual tone. "I told you this before Maria you won't die, and I will do what I can to aid you." "I know." Maria whispered looking at him with the corner of her eyes. "I also know that you are struggling with out a knife. So have this one." Maria takes a sheathed knife from her coat and offers to Benji. "This is a trooper dagger made by Zlatoust Arms factory; I gained this when I joined the rebel army in the revolution, and however this knife was nothing more than dead weight that I carried for obligation. I think that you will find it useful."

Benji finds the design of the knife oddly Arabic and familiar, he could feel that was a good edge and would succeed where others failed. "If you are giving me this because you are thinking that you will die I won't accept it." Benji said in a serious tone, he wouldn't allow Maria to give things out as if she was dying and passing on things as her last will.

The corner of Maria's lips twitch a little while she suppresses a smile. "I am not going to die." Maria said unable to entirely hide her emotions. "You wouldn't give me peace if I died." "You are right about that." Benji said taking the offered knife. "I am just loaning you the knife. I want it back." Maria added.

Benji nods understanding and rests the knife on his lap; he moves his hands to his neck and carefully takes out his necklace. "Then I will leave a collateral with you." Benji said gently placing the golden cross on Maria's open hand and closes it. "When I return the knife you give me back that necklace."

Maria nods agreeing and they stay in silence for a short while. "I don't mind if you change the hilt and sheath while you use the knife a long you return it to the original state when you return it to me." She said looking at the knife on his lap. "Sure." Benji replied holding the knife and finding the hilt oddly comfortable.

They stay in silence again watching the sun setting and the sky turning black. After a long time watching the sky Maria asks to Benji take her back to her room, Benji complies and returns Maria to her room noticing that she is feeling a little better and makes a inward promise to smuggle her out of her room to the roof more often.


	33. Desperate measures

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter thirty two: Desperate measures

Teito March ninth 1923; Monday 9:46 PM

Two days passed since Benji acquired the knifes from Maria and Sumire, to his luck they did a much better job than his previous knifes, a fact proven by the long battles that occurred on the past days. Benji is once again in the hospital, this time resting on the empty room that he took as his because of the need, over the past four days he had only six hours of sleep and that was showing on his body, the stress is visible.

'Three more days until that woman's deadline for Maria…' Benji thinks looking at the ceiling of the dark room. 'What she meant by something that is lacking on the vaccine?' Benji sighs tiredly and covers his eyes with his right arm, he is so stressed and tired that his mind is confused and he is unable to think straight. Benji is aware of the dangers of severe sleep deprivation and the consequences of it, but he can't just sleep with so many worries on his mind.

In the next morning Iris is once again complaining that Benji isn't showing to visit her and once again Sakura and Kohran have to defend the absent and very busy writer. "Iris-chan Benji-san is too busy taking care of the city." Sakura said in a gentle tone. "He finds time to stay with Maria-neechan." Iris protested angrily. "He is always with Maria-neechan." "Iris-chan Maria-han is very ill, she is worse that we are." Kohran explained in a serious tone. "She is isolated from everyone else, Benji-han is the only one that visits her, try to think how lonely Maria-han would be if no one ever came visit her."

Iris stays in silence reflecting on the other women's words. "Iris is feeling better why she has to suffer with painful injections now?" Iris asked rubbing her arm where she took another dose of the vaccine half an hour earlier. "Because the treatment needs to be completed before we can say that we are fully cured." Kohran explained. "Waiting for that I made some drawings."

Kohran pulls from her bedside a sketch book and shows to Iris the first page, it has a drawing of many SD Irises playing in a grassy field in a sunny day. "Think that this is your body before you got ill." Kohran said to Iris. Sakura curious also pay attention to the explanation, it was a nice change.

Iris nod confirming and Kohran continues. "Everything is perfect and fine until the illness arrives." Kohran flips the page and shows a large amount of SD wakijis marching at the direction of the SD Irises. "Normally when you get sick your own body fights the illness." Kohran said flipping the page again and showing the SD Irises fighting a bunch of ugly looking furballs. "Normally your body destroys the illness."

Kohran changes the page and show the Irises standing on the top of a pile of fur balls. "But this time your body can't win against the illness." Kohran continued flipping the page and showing many Irises fallen on the field while the rest tries to fight and run away. "Because your immune system isn't strong enough to face this new threat you get sick."

Iris stays in silence but nods understanding. "And this is why we have to take the vaccines now that we are sick, so this can happen." Kohran said turning the page again, this time shows a small army of Benjis in their battle uniforms arriving in the field. "Reinforcements have arrived." Sakura exclaimed in a casual tone. "Exactly." Kohran pointed with a smile. "And now things are different."

Kohran flips the page again and it shows all the SD Benjis shouting as one while charging at the enemy. :Charge!!: "Now the Irises have the aid of Benji's strong antibodies that are immune to the illness." Kohran explained in a cheerful tone, while flipping the page and showing the Benjis killing the first wave of the illness. "But even the strong antibodies from Benji aren't able to clean your body on the first time, with the fighting and the time they will get old, die and be destroyed."

Kohran shows another drawing, this one showing many fallen Benjis and some of them still fighting but with the uniform torn and weapons dented, mixed in the mass of wakijis and Benjis there are some Irises. "Your body still can't face the illness by itself." Kohran said flipping the page. "And this is why you need to take more shots of the vaccine." The new drawing shows another army of Benjis arriving and charging to battle.

"While the new antibodies fight the illness that is spreading some of the antibodies from the vaccines are teaching your body how to face the illness." Kohran explained with a new drawing, this one showing a camp filled of Irises in her training uniform being drilled by a handful of Benjis instructors. "That process repeats itself until your body can create antibodies that kill the illness until it is fully gone. The vaccine helps to do that."

"But if you don't take the vaccine this might happen." Kohran added showing another drawing, this one of the armies of wakijis standing over the fallen Benjis and Irises. "And if you restart after stopping the treatment the vaccine might be useless because the illness got stronger and can't be killed by it." Kohran changes the drawing by one of an army of Benjis being repelled and killed by wakijis. "And if that happen the result is that Iris will go to heaven."

Iris looks seriously at the final drawing of a SD Iris lying on a bed with her eyes closed. "So we all must bear and take the injections so the Benjis can to their job and help us to fight the wakijis and get better." Sakura concluded happily. "Iris understands." Iris said looking at the drawing.

"That is a rather creative explanation." Benji said from the door. "I must say that I liked the charge." Kohran yelps surprised. "Benji-niichan!" Iris exclaimed happily. "Hi for you too." Benji replied entering on the room. "I know very well how is not like taking injections but it is better suffer for few seconds than die."

Iris nods confirming. "I hope that you don't mind the use of your image." Kohran said rubbing the back of her head. "I don't." Benji replied. "As I said it was creative. Anyway how you three are doing?" "We are much better, we aren't coughing anymore." Sakura answered. "That is good, everyone is improving." Benji commented with a smile.

"And Maria-han?" Kohran asked worried. "I am not sure." Benji replied. "She isn't improving." "At least she isn't getting worse." Sakura said in a serious tone, Benji nods agreeing at her words. "Benji-niichan your coat doesn't smell nice." Iris complained covering her nose.

Benji chuckles with an apologetic smile on his lips. "I am not having much time to fetch clean clothes lately; I am rushing from here to the theater and to battle." He said in a meek tone. "I am barely able to take a quick bath after a battle." Benji continues to distract the trio for a while.

Few hours later Benji rests in his room in the hospital he is starting to feel the effects of the stress and his last action with Maria, that act of despair could lead either to her recovery or his death, either way it was a high gamble.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Hours earlier

"What you mean that Maria isn't getting better?" Benji asks to doctor Tomoeda, the chief of the team of doctors taking care of the teigeki members. "We aren't sure of the cause but the vaccine isn't doing anything other than prevent her condition of advancing." The older man said in a serious tone. "We are treating her with everything that we have but the fact remains the same she isn't improving, at this rate she might get worse if the tuberculosis create a resistance to the vaccine."

Benji bites is thumbnail in frustration, he doesn't know what to do and more and more the words of the red eyed woman seems to be a truthful prediction. Absent minded Benji hears the rest of the report, too worried about saving Maria to care about the details of how everyone else is recovering and soon would be released from quarantine.

When done with the meeting Benji moves to Maria's room and find her playing with a string, ring and wood blocks puzzle. "I am busy here." Maria said with out really meaning anything, she was bored with the puzzle that one of the nurses gave to her. "You aren't improving." Benji said in a serious tone. "You really believe that you will recover or you are just faking?"

Maria places the puzzle away and looks at Benji, she knows that he is asking out of worry and not wanting to think that she is faking to believe because he believes on her recovery. "I really believe that I will recover." Maria replied in the same tone. "I don't want to die with your blood in my veins." The last part was a barb added there just for obligation she couldn't just give him the believe that she was stating to see him as a friend.

"As long you really believes that you will recover I don't care about the reason if you recover." Benji said sitting on his chair, Maria stays in silence regretting a little her unmeant insult. They chat as they usually do until Maria falls in sleep, Benji pulls an large syringe from his pocket and carefully places it on connector of her IV line and slowly draws blood from Maria, he had seen the nurses performing that task on Maria and on himself enough times to be able to repeat it.

He fills the 25ml syringe and carefully removes it from the connector; he places the cover on the needle and walks away from the room after pocketing the syringe. Maria sighs opening her eyes. "I hope that he doesn't do anything stupid with that." She muttered tiredly, at her stay on the hospital combined with her fights in Benji's side she learned to trust on Benji, if he wanted her blood with out her knowing about it she wouldn't complain because she felt the catheter moving when he inserted the syringe.

However Maria had an idea of what he was thinking and hopes to be wrong, she closes her eyes again and tries to sleep again. In his room Benji looks at syringe on his hand, the blood inside the glass is still warm; with a sigh Benji closes his eyes making his decision.

He open his eyes and removes the cover of the needle, he rolls his left sleeve up and aims at his wrist veins with a another syringe, when seeing that he was able to draw blood Benji removes the syringe from the needle and places the syringe with Maria's blood on it.

Benji slowly injects on himself Maria's blood knowing that is filled with her antibodies and the virus on her system. When the syringe is empty Benji carefully removes the needle and presses the puncture with an alcohol soaked cotton ball.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Benji feels his body burning and wonders if is caused by the virus or the combined stress of the passed days. After injecting Maria's blood on his system Benji expended the day visiting the other members of the teigeki giving them some treats as chocolate and fruits, a very welcomed treat by everyone that Benji visited. A new alarm takes Benji from his rest as he is forced to fight once more.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Much later Kayama enters in Ayame's and Yoneda's room in the hospital and makes his report that causes an outburst in the major. "What you mean with Benji being missing?!" Ayame questioned enraged.

"I mean that we lost contact with him during the operation, the enemy signals are long gone and he hasn't contacted us until now." Kayama replied seriously. "We are unable to locate him."

Yoneda prevents Ayame from chewing Kayama and dismiss the tsukigumi leader so he can continue to search for Benji. Ayame stays in silence now more than ever worried about her pupil.

End of the chapter thirty two:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.


	34. Deprivation

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter thirty three: Deprivation

Teito March tenth 1923; Tuesday 1:43 AM

Benji curses his destiny once again; he is literally trapped at the bottom of a hole. Over his lower body is a pile of debris making impossible for Benji to move. Thanks to a sturdy new armor from his organization Benji isn't wounded, the thick forged steel of his armor protected his legs and waist from being crushed from the weight of the pile of bricks, wood and metal beams and rocks.

Benji sighs and leans back on the floor, leaning his head on his makeshift pillow consisted of his folded coat and his weapons' sack. "This sucks…" Benji muttered looking at the darkness above him; his eyes long used to the darkness allow him to see the details there. "I should have been more careful…"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Benji enters in the theater and runs to his office; he was briefed by Yuriko on his way to there. Benji is aware that the attack was bigger than any of the previous ones and he would need more weapons; he had decided to break the seal on his office and grab some of his makeshift weapons before raiding the armory again.

In the command center Benji visualizes the situation in the computers and curse the scale of the attack, he is aware that he might not be able to handle it all by himself, but no one else could help him.

As soon Benji arrives in his base Mio tells Benji that new equipment arrived to him, something that gives him more hope in surviving the battle. The new equipment isn't anything other than a full body armor made solely for him and designed to not affect his mobility, while being considerably heavy to be bullet proof it was light enough to be used in combat in most situations.

Benji raids the armory and fills a sturdy backpack with ammunition and explosives before leaving to the battle zone; inwardly Benji wonders if he will be able to defeat every demon there.

Tsugumi drives Benji to the battle zone and leaves him near of the boundary line of the army. Benji walks the rest of the way knowing that the army is there only to prevent people from entering on the battle zone and not to aid in combat; even thought Benji could use some aid.

Benji speaks to Kayama that as usual is leading the army and the fighting branch tsukigumi in preventing the civilians of entering in the battle zone and trying to keep the battle confined in the surrounded area.

"Things aren't looking good." Kayama says to Benji in a tired voice, as Benji Kayama is also working long hours however unlike Benji Kayama actually sleeps four hours every night. "There are demons that we don't know the origin and some humans attacking the area commanding the demons and we aren't sure of the numbers of them, but we estimate around fifty humans, perhaps thirty demons."

"At least it is an industrial area." Benji said examining the battle zone, it did insure many ambush spots as well improvised weapons; it is a good battle zone for a lone warrior. "There won't be worries of facing stray civilians here or damaging houses."

"Well don't get too excited about that, there are refineries and some metallurgies here the worse part is that in the metallurgies the furnaces were left on and there is melted metal there." Kayama said in a serious tone. "So make the math if the metal falls."

"I can see the damage if hits someone, not to mention the problems to clean up later." Benji replied. "But I won't make promises here; I am facing alone on army of enemies I might have to resort to desperate measures." Kayama nods understanding and knows that Benji would try avoiding doing anything that would damage the city.

Benji moves to the barriers and pass by them before running far of the barriers towards the enemy. "We have to admit, he have guts." One of the tsukigumi members commented to another. "He is all alone against those monsters and he is not even using one of the koubus."

Kayama sighs knowing why Benji isn't using a koubu, he is unable to make a koubu work and is aware of the events of the first attempt of piloting his koubu. 'If he could use a koubu would be much easier for him.' Kayama thinks looking at the distancing outcast.

Benji is content with the new armor, as promised by Eri he couldn't feel the weight of the armor because the actuators, the helmet was quite comfortable and gives the same cover of his mask plus covering his entire head, and with a transparent visor with out being bulky and affecting hearing, not to mention that the armor wasn't bulky and was easily concealed by his clothes.

'I could get used to this armor.' Benji thought while scanning the area for the enemy. 'She solved the problem of internal heating and if works well I can use it more.'

"Be careful Benji-sama." Chisato said thorough the radio build in on the helmet. "I will." Benji replied casually, the helmet was really great because of the radio thanks to the design based in the head of an AV-98 from Patlabor most of the radio parts are in the two protuberances on the side of the helmet starting over the ears and moving backwards in an upward angle.

Other than that Chisato keeps a radio silence, Benji continue to move and finds the first group of enemies and is relieved to see that they are the humans. Using his advantage of the surprise Benji quickly kills them with a pair of machine pistols made from parts of Thompson machine guns and other pistols.

However the shots attract more enemies and Benji sees a large pack of some horrid cross of dogs and insects. Deciding not to risk close combat Benji tosses a canister on the middle of the pack of creatures and shoots at it making the canister explode, the shrapnel of the canister tear most of the creatures in pieces but some of them are just wounded and continue to charge at Benji.

Benji fires at them killing them and running to another part of the area. "This isn't good at all." Benji muttered recalling the creatures. "At least they aren't stronger, but if they come with numbers…"

"Shit!" Benji shouts when making a turn and seeing a large number of onis walking on the streets, Benji skids on his sudden stop and spins on his feet nearly falling forward while running to get distance from the metal beasts. With a howl they chase Benji; the lone warrior pulls another canister from the pack and drops it on the floor while running.

Getting more distance between himself and the canister Benji turns and shoots at the canister while the onis are around it; unlike the dog like creatures the damage isn't all that extensive but is enough to damage the legs of the closer ones of the blast making them fall and causing more of them to trip on the falling ones.

"Chemical can…I need the chemical can." Benji hissed while rummaging on the pack frantically. "Yes!" Benji shouts finding the desired black canister, he twists a handle on the top of the canister and tosses at the pile of fallen robots and run away and get some cover behind a wall.

With a dull sounded explosion and a wet splashing sound the canister explodes, Benji peeks on the street with the masoukiheis and see them screeching while they melt where hit by the contents of the canister. Benji pulls a metal stick from the pack and breaks one of the tips causing the stick to begin to burn; Benji tosses the burning stick on the pile making it burn and the screeching gets louder. Benji runs off to another part of the district to find more enemies.

"You are using too much ammo." Chisato warned in a worried tone. "It is not like I can help." Benji replied seriously. "I can't with such large numbers of demons alone." "I know my lord but if you use all the canisters now you won't have anything if something more dangerous appears." Chisato said seriously.

Benji knows that Chisato is right but he can't just face those demons only with his firearms and the swords on the tubular pack on his back, the swords would be useful against humans and other melee demons of the size or smaller than humans, but in large numbers the swords might not be able to aid much.

After a while Benji finished killing a pack of small bipedal demons, he sighs and stores the swords in the tubular carrier. "You don't look too hot." A familiar feminine voice says to Benji in a mix of casual and teasing tone. "I am working non stop for a while." Benji replied pointing his pistols at Lisa. "Down boy." She said walking to him. "I am here to help; in case that you didn't notice I am not wearing my battle clothes."

"Not that would stop you." Benji replied not lowering his pistols. "You are working with the enemy and are helping them to destroy the city." Lisa sighs knowing that he is right. "I know that and I have reasons for that, but you clearly need a hand here." She replied pointing at the vanishing mass of demons. "So what about I give you a hand and we deal with this mess? Later we can try going back to kill each other."

"I am quite impressed that you are walking after being stabbed." Benji commented still with his guard up. "Normally I would still be recovering." Lisa replied casually while lifting her shirt showing her stomach with out even a scar. "But I wondered why was raining so often in the main areas of where you was fighting and discovered that the rain was healing you, after all you were wounded too when you stabbed me."

Benji sighs inwardly, that healing rain was a blessing and one of the few reasons that he was able to fight that long. "So why we don't rampage here for the old days sake?" Lisa asked while tucking her shirt back on her pants. "This isn't a bar fight." Benji replied seriously. "This is demon extermination in large scale."

"In case that you forgot I am not the same woman than from those times as you aren't the same boy from then." Lisa replied casually. (Come on Benji I am sure that you are dying to speak Portuguese with someone that you know.) She added switching the language for Portuguese.

(You do get a point there.) Benji replied. (Fine I will take your help but I want to know why you are still in the kuronosukai.) (I can't answer that.) Lisa said seriously. (But I have very, very strong reasons.) Benji sighs inwardly knowing that the tone from the other brunette means that she won't tell him anything.

Benji starts walking and Lisa follows him. "Nice clothes." Lisa commented casually while catching up with him. "I must say that the torn coat is kind of cool." "After the past days I don't really have any more battle clothes to use." Benji replied with a sigh. "To be honest this uniform that I am wearing now is made of the best parts of my four uniforms." "Well you always had the habit of having more than the needed." Lisa said while studying his outfit. "But I guess that when things like this happens you end being right, your clothes are horrible because so damaged I don't even want to see the worse part of the others."

"They are really bad; I even stitched this one to make it less worse." Benji commented tiredly. "Things are so troublesome that I can't even spare resources to make me a new uniform."

"Where the others are?" Lisa asked placing her hands on her pockets. "Hospital." Benji answered seriously. "Everyone is with tuberculosis." "Boy that is bad." Lisa commented. "At this age it is quite deadly. At least we are immunized against it." "Thanks to that fact everyone is getting treated with my blood." Benji said in a tired voice. "The doctors are vampirizing me for at least one liter of blood on each time that they take it, if I wasn't taking erythropoietin I would be dead by now."

"You are taking performance enhancing drugs?" Lisa asked worried. "No, I am using as medicine." Benji replied. "I need to take them, if I stop taking them my blood might get too thin." "Why?" Lisa asked still worried.

"Now that I won't tell you." Benji answered. "While we are in a truce now you are still working with the enemy, I won't slip the reason to you use against me." Lisa bite her lower lip in frustration, Benji was right in being suspicious of her. Lisa was a nurse and knew of the risks of using that drug, she can only guess what kind of problems are forcing Benji to take it other than the blood removal from the doctors.

"So other than fighting what you are doing?" Lisa asked deciding to change the subject. "Nothing much." Benji replied casually. "Trying to get along with the others, running an underground organization, and a company, learning Japanese and few more things; nothing really interesting."

"You concept of interesting is quite warped." Lisa teased when hearing what he is doing. "Most of those would fall on the interesting side of the line." "After coming to this place my concept changed." Benji replied casually while removing the helmet. "I kill demons for a living." "Point taken." Lisa replied with a small nod.

"So why you are here?" Benji asked after half an hour walking with out saying anything. "Well nothing was happening on the base and…" Lisa's stomach growls cutting her sentence making her grab her stomach and blush. "And you are out of food." Benji teased. "That too." Lisa replied blushing. "It isn't my fault that no one else in that damn place don't need to eat."

Lisa's stomach growls more and she looks at him with pleading eyes. "You wouldn't have something in that pack would you?" she asks in a pleading tone. "I don't eat since yesterday's dinner."

Benji sighs and points to a sturdy wall of one of the buildings, they move there while he takes out the backpack and rummages on the contents. "I am quite sure that Tayu packed me something." Benji muttered while taking out many canisters, weapons and ammo from the pack.

"As usual you never travel light." Lisa commented counting the colored cans. "So what they do?" she asked shaking a green painted can. "Don't shake that!" Benji exclaimed grabbing the canister from her. "This is a chemical can! Is explodes splashing inflammable acid in a four meters radius!"

"OOhhhh…chemical warfare." Lisa cooed with a smile. "The red ones?" "Incendiary cans. The blue ones are simple fragmentation can." Benji answered keeping Lisa away from the cans. "The graffiti ones?" She asked seeing the still unnamed can. "Demolition charges." Benji answered pulling a box from the pack.

"Here." He said putting the box down and starting to put back the weapons in the pack. "Yay food!" Lisa exclaimed in a childish way while opening the thin metal box. "Sushi?" she asked confused.

"Well they are more like fully nori wrapped onigiris." Benji replied closing the pack. "I don't really have time to sit down and eat lately so I am living out of easy to eat foods." "Well rolled rice on a seaweed sheet is easy to eat, especially when not cutted in bite sized rolls." Lisa commented seeing the four long rolls of rice wrapped in dark green dried seaweed.

"Don't complain." Benji replied taking one of the rolls. "It is my food and it is stuffed with beef, pickled turnip, cucumbers, omelet and this green thing that I don't know the name." "So reassuring…" Lisa commented taking another one. "Any drinks?"

"You are annoying." Benji said pulling a black canister from one side pocket of the backpack. "I am hungry and thirsty." Lisa replied opening the offered canister. "I have the right to be annoying." "I don't eat, drink or sleep well in almost one week I have the right to be moody and annoying." Benji replied taking a bite of his roll.

"Fine you win." Lisa replied taking a sip of the contents of the can. "Lemon juice?"

"It is winter." Benji replied. "Vitamin C is good for you." "I know that, but this isn't that yellow lemon is it?" Lisa said trying the juice again. "No, for us the yellow one is lime, it is our lemon the green one." Benji explained. "That is why tastes familiar." Lisa replied. "I never understood why what is lemon for us is lime to others." "Me neither, must be something with the translation." Benji said taking the can from her and drinking from it too.

"So much better." Lisa commented after finishing a second rice roll. "If we weren't in the middle of a demon infested area this would be like a picnic." "True enough." Benji replied storing the meal box and the empty canister on the backpack. "Now back to killing everything that moves."

One hour passed since the meal break and the duo faced many groups of demons while moving around the area. "You know this kind of feels like Streets of Rage." Lisa commented casually while lightly patting her right shoulder with a lead pipe. "I was thinking something more in the lines of Sengoku." Benji replied in the same tone. "After all we are killing demons."

"Never played that one." Lisa commented shrugging. "Well it is kind of obscure and I played in an emulator." Benji said looking around, the report said that an unconfirmed but large numbers of demons there but they haven't faced more than thirty enemies in the total, Benji wasn't enjoying such ease he had learned that the calmness in battle usually preceded something really bad.

Benji sighs inwardly while half-heartily chatting with Lisa, he was content in being able to speak in Portuguese and not having to hide his identity or worrying in slipping something troublesome, but he is aware that she is part of the enemy and that in any moment she might change sides or that after that battle he will have to fight her again. For the time being he was just relieved in having assistance on that battle, alone and tired as he is any aid is more than welcome.

After more encounters with random demon patrols Benji is recounting his inventory and ammo supply. "Shit I am too many rounds too short." Benji cursed when done. "Rescuing you is costing me too much ammo." "Excuse me for not being ready to battle!" Lisa retorted angrily. "I was going out to lunch and for grocery shopping not to battle!"

"You could at least help me killing the humans too!" Benji shot back snapping shut the backpack before shouldering it again. "I don't kill humans!" Lisa shouted. "I am horrified in seeing that you do!" "I don't care anymore! If it is the enemy then must die!" Benji shouted back, Lisa's hesitation in fighting the humans allied with demons cost to Benji many magazines and canisters to kill them.

"What happened to you?!" Lisa shouted in the top of her lungs. "You weren't like this!" "When someone tries to kill me I will kill before I am killed!" Benji answered icily. "Demon or human if threatens me or someone that I care it will die."

"Benji…" Lisa murmured looking at his eyes. "What happened? What you suffered?" "Enough to no longer care if what I kill is human or not." Benji said walking away. "You should know this too; after all you are trying to kill every human on this city."

Benji's words freeze Lisa as the subject that they avoided for so long surfaced. "I told you that I have reasons for that." Lisa said in a serious but somber tone. "I have really strong reasons to be on their side." "I don't care." Benji replied icily. "You know that as well as I do, I tried to kill you before and the only reason that you aren't dead is because that bullet misfired."

"I know that." Lisa said looking at his back. "The bullet knows the truth. You heard that line in the same movie that I did. Why you don't trust on the wisdom of your bullet?" "Because I know what is happening to the city every time that your companions go out." Benji replied. "People get hurt, the most unfortunate get killed and very often many more lose their homes. The bullet doesn't know better."

Lisa bites her lower lip in frustration, she can't come with anything to deny his words, they are all true, she wasn't better than her companions in the kuronosukai she summoned stone skeletons and demons' skeletons to fight as her cannon fodder troops and more than once she incited her skeletons against Benji.

Confused Lisa watches Benji walking away not knowing what to say to vanquish his anger, she knows that everything that he said was truth and that he was moody after nearly one week with out sleep, overworking and her constants lack of support against the human attacks on that battle. She hesitates knowing that if she presses him too hard he might just kill her right there with no warning, after all she is his enemy, sworn enemies know by his allies and her allies.

A large quadruped demon charges at Benji, hearing the sound of the charge Benji dodges the attack and see the menace that he barely avoided, it is a large demon of the size of a bus with a strong looking plate shell covering its body and four thick circular shaped horns on its head.

"Fuck…" Benji cursed seeing the large and heavy creature making a large turn on its run to try running over him again. Benji fires at the creature with the Lewis rifle just to see the bullets bouncing on its shell harmlessly. Benji jumps out of the creature's path and holsters the gun.

"What can we use on that thing?!" Lisa asked in worry, forgetting the argument that they just had. "I don't know! I am out chemical canisters and the others can't pierce that shell!" Benji answered while they run away to plan.

"No APs?!" Lisa shouted while they climb on the top of a post with practiced ease. "NO! My APs are the chemical cans!" Benji shouted back while they leap on the top of a building and see the charging creature smashing some walls while making a bad turn.

"Shit if I thought that I would face something that armored I would have brought more chemical cans." Benji cursed while looking at the creature while lying flat on the top of the building. "We got some time because it lost us, but we have to find a way to kill that thing because sooner or later it will cross our path again." Lisa said besides him.

"I know, I know." Benji replied with a tired sigh, he was starting to want to carry even more weapons with armor piercing power it was the fourth time that he have to face something with a thick armor with out a proper weapon, that counting the three kishis in the Kanzaki factory as one incident.

"Think on something." Lisa said to him in a serious tone. "You are the one that claims to be MacGyver's best disciple. Build a nuke with chewing gun and pebbles." "That is impossible." Benji replied angrily. "Not even in my best shape I can do that, I am tired and only with six hours of sleep in the past five and a half days."

Lisa sighs calming herself he is right Benji is suffering of deprivation of sleep and that doesn't help to come up with ideas. 'It must have something that we can do.' Lisa thinks looking at him. 'Think as he does, see what can be done with what we have, think as the junk collector… find something that can take down that tank and build it…'

"Wait a second! TANK! That is it!" Lisa shouted cheerfully. "RPG! RPG!" "RPG?" Benji asked confused. "I don't think that role playing would help now." "Not that one!" Lisa exclaimed. "Posture repositioning also doesn't do any good." Benji added. "Jeez Benji!" Lisa exclaimed now angry, the first one was cute but the second was ridiculous. "R-P-G! What else those letters stand for?! Think!"

"Rocket propelled grenades!" Benji exclaimed now understanding. "Hollow charges!" "Exactly!" Lisa replied.

"But we don't have any." Benji said seriously. "Your canisters! I think that we can use them to make some improvised ones." Lisa explained pointing to his pack. "The graffiti charges are plain explosives; we just need something to act as the liner."

"It is worth the shot." Benji said taking the pack out and pulling one of the graffiti cans. "In one can we have five kilos of TNT." "What are the cans made of?" Lisa asked while they disassemble one of the cans. "The graffiti are made of tin, the other charges a mix of tin and steel to separate the explosive from the shrapnel." Benji answered.

"Give me the lunch box." Lisa said, Benji nods and hands her the empty box. Benji shapes the explosive being careful to remove the armor gloves as well any source of detonation. "I am placing half kilo of the explosive as propellant but we need something to fire it." Benji said while finishing the last arrangements in the canister.

"That tube in your back should do the trick." Lisa said pointing to his swords carrier. "It is made of metal." "I guess that it can take it." Benji said taking out the tube. "This will either work or kills us." Lisa commented placing the improvised liner inside the shaped explosive and inside the canister. "Put the detonator is in place."

Benji nods adjusting the detonator on the tip of the liner and connecting it to the explosive. "It will detonate with the impact, for the propellant." Benji muttered pulling his leatherman tool and removing the projectile of one of his pistols bullets. Lisa opens a small hole on the tube and places the charge there, Benji places the cartridge on the hole and sighs looking at the tube.

"We only have one shot; we need to make sure to hit it." Benji said taking the tube. "You lure the creature and I shoot it." Lisa nods agreeing and they move to execute the plan after storing the equipment back on the pack.

Back on the ground level Lisa taunts the creature making it charge at her, Benji is hidden in an alley waiting for the chance to show up. Lisa runs from the creature luring it to Benji's range.

Benji waits with his once again armor clad finger over the firing cap, he is wearing the helmet and the tube is over his right shoulder with him holding as a rocket launcher.

Lisa jumps out of the path of the creature and Benji jumps out of the alley while the creature is maneuvering to charge again. Benji levels the opening of the tube at the side of the creature and slams down his hand over the firing cap. "DIE!!" Benji and Lisa shout as one.

The explosive goes off and fires the improvised charge at the creature, as it hits its target the second explosion goes off and the creature howls loudly in pain. Benji cringes feeling the recoil, impact and the blast of firing the improvised charge ever with the armor, but he grins satisfied seeing the creature falling on the ground dead because the internal jet of molten steel.

The duo runs to the dead creature and Lisa smiles seeing the damage on the hit spot. "Nice, it exploded as it should." She commented seeing the lightly charred area around a one inch wide hole. "The charge entered and from there the spray did its job."

"That is good." Benji commented taking out the helmet. "My ear is ringing because the blast." "It could be worse, now let's get out of here and see if all this noise attracts more demons." Lisa replied casually, Benji nods agreeing while placing the swords back on the carrier, content that is still in one piece after everything.

One more hour passes with more encounters, Benji sighs tired while resting the tip of his glaive on the floor. "So you are counting the kills?" Lisa asked casually while leaning her back against a wall. "Somewhere over fifty now." Benji answered glaring at the brunette. "Assistance would be appreciated."

"But not needed." Lisa replied casually. "How many hours passed since you entered here?" "Five." Benji answered after looking at his watch. "Five and a quarter." "Well for sure you look tired." Lisa commented in a light tone. "I am here for over four hours, I need to go because I have to make my grocery shopping, have fun finishing up in here."

Benji glares at her feeling temptated in tossing the glaive on Lisa. "See you around." She added before running away from the factory. Benji sighs again stabbing the glaive on the ground and pulling the second pair of swords to make his second glaive from his tube carrier.

After assembling the glaive Benji ties both of them together by the handles with a strong wire. "This will pack some decent damage when tossed." He muttered holding the crude and much bigger cross shuriken, with his left hand Benji puts on his helmet unpleased that the radio broke hours earlier. With nothing else than finishing up and killing the last remnants of demons there to do Benji moves to another area.

In an empty storage facility Benji is fighting against a not to big group of koumas, he is standing over a catwalk that is over an empty storage pit. Benji dodges the acid blasts from the koumas and respond with the last fragmentation canister killing most of them with the shrapnel. However the bodies of the koumas crash on the metal catwalk already weakened by the acid making it collapse with Benji on it.

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Ayame is furious at the tsukigumi; Benji was missing for over seven hours not counting the time in the battle. She saw everything or at least most of what happened thanks to one of Kohran's inventions that actually worked well, a small spy camera that could fly and follow a target and transmit the video feed to another location.

She watched everything with Yoneda and was horrified in seeing Benji fighting alongside a woman that they never saw before and he was talking and acting as if he knows the woman for ages. In one of those moments they even sung together while walking around the industrial area.

Yoneda looks at Ayame knowing that she angry about many things, not only the battle and the fact that Benji is missing, but he is actually more worried in finding Benji because Benji is the only one defending the city while they are all in the hospital.

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In the hole Benji curses because he can't even try to sleep in there, because his legs are trapped under the debris he can't move at all and he every time that he naps a little he tries to move to make himself more comfortable and wakes because he can't move.

Benji wouldn't really complain about that, he was lucky in not being wounded, not to mention that during the entire battle he learned new things, especially one very important thing that aided a lot during that battle. "Quem canta os males espanta." Benji muttered in Portuguese. "Who would know that the old saying was so truthful."

"Well things could be worse; I could be wounded or dead, maybe even buried under the debris." Benji said in a casual tone. "Pissing is challenging like this but the juice can is helping a lot, I would love a book or some music to distract me, but you can't have everything."

"Ai just my love on my love kono te de omae o mamoritai..." Benji began so sing in a normal tone. "Hontou no otoko o shitterukai horeteru onna ni yowai no sa..."

End of the chapter thirty three:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.


	35. Determination

Hi this is Benji Himura

Hi this is Benji Himura. I am now starting a new fanfic. Is a Sakura Taisen story. I don't own Sakura or any of the characters. Some anime or manga characters might show up in the story I also don't own then. I own Benji Himura and others characters that will show up in the story. It might be violence and sex in the story so if you are underage of seventeen are warned the content might be too improper to your age. Read by your own will and risk. In anyway enjoy the story.

Signed: Benji Himura.

Author pre-story notes:

Well I am going to try a new thing to spice up my fics. I am adding songs to certain scenes; like Sakura Taisen did, for example the episode nine when Maria recalled when she meets her captain. I have showed Benji humming, singing and hearing to many songs, in different occasions. Well I just love hearing musing when I am on the computer, when I got outside my house I always carry my CD player so I can listen to it when I walk, when I am not watching TV or anime on my computer I always have the winamp on with my favorite playlist. For example if I stay too long with out hearing music I began to think on music or sing. I will place the songs that suit more the scenes. Try hearing it sometime. If you can listen to the song when reading the scene might be even better. Sorry for taking too long. Now we can return to the normal fic.

"Text" Talked sentences.

'Text' Thoughts.

-Text- Sounds effects.

(Text) Talked sentences in a foreign language as English when everyone else speaks Japanese.

: Text: Messages show in an electronic screen or written.

**Text**: something being recalled, flashbacks, scenes being replayed.

_Text_: a detail found in a location, scene, person, recording and images that originally wasn't there.

Chapter thirty four: Determination

Teito March eleventh 1923; Wednesday 4:35 PM

Benji sighs tired back on the hospital, he was trapped in that hole for nearly seventeen hours, and thankfully Tsugumi found him, actually heard him singing to pass the time and led the rescue party to his location. Even with hours passed since he was released Benji was still feeling sore, numb and tired, to make things worse Maria's condition was worsening and he don't know what to do to help her.

He was slightly feverish but kept that a secret, Chisato was busy dealing with the girls of his organization, Yoriko, Yu and Mio are also busy dealing with everything on the theater, and Tsugumi is the only one with some time off, a deserved break for finding Benji after searching for long hours.

Benji looks at Maria who is sleeping on her quarantine room, her catheter is connected to an IV drip and Benji's blood drip, and she has dark rings under her eyes and is with an oxygen mask. 'What can I do to save you?' Benji thinks looking at the sleeping blonde. 'I can't let you die…there must me something that I can do…'

The ultimatum that the mysterious woman gave to Benji still weights on his thoughts as the end of the fifth day approaches, after all that time Benji wasn't able to figure what she meant with her words much less why she appeared to him and said them.

Benji leaves Maria's bedside to think somewhere else, actually he needs to vent out some frustration and he can't do it there. Benji moves to the hospital kitchen and finds it empty, hungry and tired Benji decides to fix himself something in hope of clearing his mind.

Benji takes out his coat and tosses it over the chair that he used just few days before to rest a little, after that he takes out his uniform jacket and shirt revealing a black metal armor covering his entire upper body, he opens the chest plate and places the piece of armor over the table, then he removes the arms of the armor.

"It feels much better." Benji whispered rubbing his shoulders, under all the clothes and the armor he was still wearing a long sleeved t-shirt. "I can't complain much, the armor is really good." Benji moves to the refrigerator and scans what he can fix for himself, after ten minutes Benji is cutting some steaks.

"If you want I can do that." Mio said entering on the kitchen. "I prefer doing it myself, but thanks." Benji replied not looking to the woman. "How you found me?" "No one saw you leaving the hospital; you weren't in Tachibana-san's room or in any other room with a member of the teigeki, neither in the bathrooms nor in your room here." Mio said listing the reasons. "Considering everything the kitchen sounded as a place to look."

"Well I am hungry and needing to cut something." Benji commented. "I must say Benji-sama that I am very impressed with the fact that you can move with the armor." Mio said in an honest tone. "You are even wearing the lower half of the armor with out the actuators working."

"I have strong legs." Benji replied. "The full armor is kind of heavy but the actuators do their job quite well so I can't complain." "So the project is still going to proceed?" Mio questioned in a serious tone. "Yes." Benji answered seasoning the steaks. "It might be handy for us."

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Few more hours passed and Benji is back to Maria's room, she is awake and they are chatting, at least Benji is trying to make a conversation and Maria is trying to follow, after one week locked in a closed room with out any kind of distraction it was hard to make small talk.

Maria notices that Benji's shoulders and chest appears to be bigger. "Don't tell me that you are finding time to work out?" Maria asked in an attempt of teasing tone. "You look bigger." "It is the armor that I am wearing under my clothes." Benji answered with a smile. "It is kind of bulky."

"For sure is, but why you are wearing armor in here?" Maria asked casually before adding a playful tease. "Afraid of being hit by a gurney?" "I am not having much time to get ready lately so I am always ready to leave now." Benji answered in the same tone. "It is a pain to go to the bathroom." "I don't want to know." Maria said with a tired chuckle.

Benji smiled happy for making her laugh. "So this is it the last night isn't it?" Maria asked in a serious tone. "What?" Benji questioned unsure of how to respond to that. "I am feeling really bad." Maria said looking at him. "My lungs feel like they are on fire, my whole body is heavy, tired and I can't move it well, you are somber and thinking too hard about something. I can tell that something is wrong from all that, wanting or not I am the person that fought by your side more than everyone else in the theater as you can sometimes read me I can read you in other times."

"You are going to live Maria." Benji said in a firm tone, actually unsure if he is trying to convince her or himself. "You are going to live even if I have to hold your soul to your body with my bare hands." 'I really want to believe in you as you seem to believe on me.' Maria thinks looking at him. 'But if you knew about all my crimes you wouldn't treat me like this.'

"Yes I would." Benji said looking back at her eyes. "We both killed." Maria looks at him shocked and shows in her eyes. "I hate when you do this." She muttered half-heartily, it was all those hours that they trained, played and fought together showing how well they are tunned. 'I hate when you give me hope when I am hopeless. I guess that dying with you on my side wouldn't be all that bad.'

"You are not going to die." Benji said in a serious tone. "Get that inside that pretty head of yours, you are not going to die and I am not going to let you die." Maria nods with a blush on her cheeks.

A worried series of knocks in the door breaks that moment making the duo look at the door, Yu is worriedly gesturing for him to leave with Mio on her side. "I will see what they want." Benji said standing up, Maria nods and sees him leaving the room.

"What is wrong?" Benji asked to the duo. "Another attack sir." Yu answered in a serious tone. "It is the kuronosukai again; Peçonha, Rasetsu and Setsuna are attacking Shinjuku, the force isn't big but they are with wakijis." "Get everything ready I will meet you two in the garage." Benji ordered in a sharp tone.

The duo obeys after saluting him. "An attack right?" Maria asked when he returns. "Sadly yes, it seems that they finally noticed that the defenses are weakened now." Benji answered while moving to her. "I will finish there as soon as I can and I will return here, don't die while I am not here or you won't like what I will do when I find you."

"I won't die alone." Maria said in a serious tone. "But I won't promise that I won't die, I don't feel like I will live." "You will live even if I have to give you my life." Benji replied while making Maria more comfortable. Maria stays in silence once again not knowing that to say after his passionate words, they filled her with warmth and made her a little more alive.

"I am leaving now." Benji said in a gentle tone. "I won't take long." "Take care." Maria replied in the same tone, it could be the last time that she would see him; the least that she could do after everything that he did is see him off in a pleasant way, Maria shakes her head inwardly before saying. "I hate you." Benji sneers lightly, more to a smile than sneering before saying. "And I love you."

"If you try kissing me you will pay." Maria said in a mock acid tone. "I think that would be worth but I will save that for a later time." Benji replied in a casual tone. Maria chuckles and sees him leaving, that small event was a welcome blast from the past, originally it was Maria venting out her frustration and Benji rubbing her in the wrong way and embarrassing and frustrating her even more, and with the time it became more like a small bicker or sketch. Benji leaves the room feeling a bit better thanks to the small event.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Benji's fever escalated with the stress and the low amount of blood on his body, how he arrived in the battlefield was a blurred memory, he is now facing the small horde of demons and envoys of evil. His arsenal is depleted and he is left only with one of the four swords that was once part of the four swords of his glaives, his machine pistols are damaged and he is left only with MF-1HD from the Kanzaki industries, other than that he is only with the knife from Maria, the naginata edge from Sumire and an disassembled weapon wrapped in a leather carrier on his back.

A bizarre creature that appears to be a mix of a dog's skeleton, an insect and plant attacks Benji. With a swift and flow movement Benji ducks under the summoned demon and slashes it in the half with the knife that Maria loaned to him, the steel slices the demon cleanly.

The creature falls on the ground in two parts before the blood gushes out from the cut, more of those creatures attack Benji and he slashes them with his two knives. 'Not bad.' Lisa thinks seeing Benji fighting. 'If I didn't know I would never guess that you are exhausted. Well the slashes are a bit reckless but that is hardly his fault on this kind of situation.' She sighs inwardly seeing the last of her new summons being killed. 'And once again my summons are useless, maybe I should have chosen another skill…' she dryly thinks seeing Benji with the usually ease killing her skeletal minions.

"Get ready to coordinate the wakijis." Peçonha says to Setsuna while summoning her usual skeletal demons, they are easier to summon and because they are spear wielding it forces Benji to change his range. Setsuna nods and waits for the signal, he doesn't want to risk reading Benji's mind and see the horrors there stored.

Benji parries and dodges the spears while approaching the skeletons knowing that to kill then he has to destroy the only soft part of their bodies, the parasite in the back that animates the stone, shapes and command the skeleton. On each strike green goo jets out from the parasites making the skeletons fall.

'Damn… I forgot that he is even better with a knife…' Lisa thinks seeing how Benji is moving and easily taking out the skeletons. 'But as long he is distracted it is okay…' Suddenly one wakiji strikes and destroys one of the skeletons and hits Benji on the chest with its axe. Benji is tossed away with the impact; he lands hard in the street many meters away.

Benji clutches his chest in pain content that the armor held the brunt of the damage. Benji rolls to the side and avoids another attack, now all the wakijis try to attack him. Benji decides to explore the lack of intelligence of the wakijis and in one of the dodges he runs to a wakiji and slide under its legs, as he hoped the others attack the wakiji destroying it.

Benji chuckles and repeats the stunt until Setsuna manages to control the four remnants of the ten wakijis. "Kill him!" Setsuna shouts to the wakijis. Benji calmly looks at the horde. 'Shit he is going to do it!' Lisa shouted to herself. "Hitotsu me no kotoba wa yume nemuri no naka kara mune no oku no kurayami wo sotto tsuredasu no." Benji sang softly while dodging the wakijis, the confusion on the creatures is clear while they suddenly stop their charge and try to look around with their grid faces.

'Fuck… I knew that he was going to resort to that…' Lisa cursed seeing Benji idly slashing the wakijis that just stay there waiting to be cut. 'He is canceling his fighting spirit with a soothing song, with out anger, hate, fear or negative emotions to see the wakijis are blind…'

Setsuna makes Rasetsu attack Benji and this time Benji's plan doesn't work because Rasetsu can see him, unable to keep up the plan Benji is forced to stop and fight, the remaining two wakijis join the combat now able to see Benji again. Benji is hit by Rasetsu and is launched even farther than when the wakiji hit him; Benji hits a wall and falls on the ground not moving.

Setsuna chuckles evilly seeing Benji like that, it was the very first time for them to render Benji like that, a small part of the demon boy's mind is wishing that Benji is alive so he can be tortured. Rasetsu roars and charges at Benji. The charge is stopped by a pair of missiles hitting his chest dead on.

"No one will harm him!" Yoriko shouted in a firm tone, she is wearing an armor clearly taller than she is, her arms, legs and waist are covered by the armor's arms, legs and waist while her upper body is exposed covered only by a skintight black and red uniform and two cables across her chest, her eyes are covered by a transparent visor and the upper half of her head is protected by a helmet.

Yu and Mio are wearing similar armors, but the differences are visible in the armament of each of the girls, Yoriko is armed with one missile pack, a machine gun and a rather large barreled gun on her left arm, over the left arm is a small shield; Mio is armed with a naginata and a katana; and lastly Yu is armed with a katana and a pair of tonfas.

"Yu secure the commander!" Yoriko shouted thorough the radio while firing more missiles against the kuronosukai. "Mio take care of the wakijis!" "Ryokai!" The duo exclaimed rushing to obey. "Remember we only have one tenth of the armor comparing to the hanagumi, our only advantage is that we have three times their speed and mobility! Do not get hit!" Yoriko added seriously. "We know!" Yu and Mio replied while skating to the direction of their orders.

Yoriko had to admit that the armors are great; she would never imagine that so much could be accomplished in such a short time, even with most of the armor being taken from an existent failed project she couldn't believe that it took few days to convert the armor to be piloted and be so effective. Yu carefully picks Benji and skates back to their command truck, Mio and Yoriko attack the wakijis being careful to avoid being hit by them.

In the truck Chisato takes Benji from Yu allowing the girl to return to the battle. "Tsugumi help me." She said while opening Benji's uniform. The shorter brunette nods and obeys. "He is burning with fever." Chisato whispered feeling his forehead. "No wonder he collapsed, he must be feeling the effects of this past week."

"We have to get him up, they won't be able to fend off the kuronosukai for long, and they just have twenty more minutes in their batteries." Tsugumi warned in a serious tone. "I know, but I don't think that we can send him to battle like this." Chisato replied seriously. "He isn't in shape to even be out of a bed."

Tsugumi rushed back inside the truck and grabs the emergency medical kit. "We have to force him up." She said rummaging inside the medic kit. "Yes!" She exclaimed finding the desired item. "Smelling salts?" Chisato asked confused. "It will force him to wake up." Tsugumi said breaking the vial after lowering his mask.

Benji inhales and tries to force her hand and the vial away. "Easy there leader." Tsugumi said in a gentle tone. "You are back to the world of the living." Benji rubs his nose in pain while sitting up. "What happened?" he asks looking at the duo, he knows that wasn't good.

"You were hit by Rasetsu and knocked out." Chisato answered in a worried tone. "You should be resting, you aren't in fighting condition." "How I got here?" Benji asked seriously. "Yu carried you." Tsugumi answered. "Yoriko, Mio and Yu are using the kishi armors to fight with the remnants of the kuronosukai, but they must be in the half charge of their batteries."

Benji nods understanding, he begins to take out his armor. "I can't move with this." He said while the duo aids him. "Right now I am too tired to use it." Benji stands up after removing the last piece of the armor, now he is only wearing a pair of jeans pants, a t-shirt and he is putting on his torn coat.

"Be careful my lord." Chisato said in a worried tone. "I will." Benji replied before running to the direction of the battle. Tsugumi stays in silence wondering why Chisato was like that, she just couldn't understand it.

Benji arrives and smiles under his mask seeing how well the trio is handling the situation, Yoriko is in the rear line providing back up fire to Mio and Yu who are dealing with the remaining wakiji together. Setsuna, Rasetsu and Peçonha are forced back thanks to Yoriko's bullets.

Benji used the fact that no one is aware of his presence yet to strike, drawing his sword Benji jumps from the rooftop where he was standing and slashes Setsuna. The demon boy howls in pain before teleporting away, Rasetsu charges at Benji and the ninja dodges the mad charge.

Peçonha stares at Benji before realizing that Benji changed his grip on the sword. Benji is now holding the sword as he would hold a spear and he tosses the sword against her as hard as he can. Unable to fully dodge the attack Peçonha avoided a lethal strike taking the sword on her left shoulder. She shouts in pain with the blade buried deep on her flesh.

Using that moment Yoriko fires all her remaining missiles against Rasetsu who is leaving a hole in a wall. The massive explosion that follows throws debris on the air. Peçonha removes the sword from her shoulder and charges at Benji with a war cry. Benji responds with a similar cry while drawing the two knives again.

"Mio, Yu we have to retreat now." Yoriko said in a serious tone after checking some readings on her sensors. "Our batteries are in the red zone, Rasetsu was taken by the enemy." "Ryokai!" The duo replied moving away. "Sir we will be moving out now." Yoriko said to Benji. "Okay!" Benji replied. "Thanks for the help!" The trio skates away content with themselves.

"You never told me about having subordinates." Lisa hissed with the sword is locked against Benji's knives. "Of course I haven't." Benji replied casually. "After all you are the enemy." After those words Benji stabs Lisa with the naginata blade. "And I only need one knife to hold the sword." He added in a teasing tone.

Lisa gasps in pain and leaps backwards, she tosses something on the ground and a cloud of smoke rises, when the cloud is gone so is she. Benji sighs tiredly and cleans the edges on his pants before sheathing them. "Well it is over again…" he muttered walking to the command truck. "At least for now…"

In the truck he sees the trio leaving the armors that are now connected and locked on pods, the clothes of the trio has a ten centimeters long cable on the base of the spine and few sockets similar to the ones in the hanagumi uniform. "Good job everyone." Benji said to Yoriko, Mio, Yu, Chisato and Tsugumi.

"Thank you sir." The group said as one. "What is the verdict of the new kishi armors?" Benji asked to the trio. "Other than the issues with the short lasting battery we are quite pleased with the performance." Yoriko said in behalf of the trio. "Of course we wouldn't complain in having armor covering our torsos."

"I share the feeling." Benji commented. "Bear for a while, those three are only the prototypes made from the kishi units that I destroyed. I am thankful that it is working as well as it is in such short time." "We all agree with that sir." The group agreed. "I will be taking the prototypes back to the factory." Eri said while leaving the transport truck with the three armors' pods. "They still need to be developed more before they become fully operational, but tonight's data will be very precious in the development."

"I agree with that, let us know if you need them for more tests." Benji said to the blonde girl. "I will, right now I want to take the armors back and dismantle them to see how every system took the stress of the battle." Eri replied seriously. "You can take the armors back but do not dismantle them." Benji said in a serious tone. "We are still in a red alert here and we might need them again, do all the exams with out dismantling the armors, recharge the batteries and reload the ammo."

"Understood." Eri replied. "I will be leaving now." Benji nods and sees her moving back to the truck and giving orders to three girls on it, Benji recognizes them as three of the girls of his organization, but he isn't familiar with them. "Well now back to the hospital." Benji exclaimed casually.

"From where you take so much energy?" Yoriko asked surprised. "It must be that spirit energy thing." Mio commented chuckling. "According to the records he has one of the higher levels of the hanagumi." "Must be it." Yoriko chuckled.

Benji looks at the duo shocked; the answer that he was so frantically looking was there as plain as day and he couldn't find it. "I need to go now!" Benji shouted racing to Tsugumi's car. He doesn't even hear the calls from Chisato telling for him to rest because his illness.

Later Benji stops the car in the front of the hospital and looks at his watch; the night was almost over with the last hour of the night ending and the dawn nearing. Benji runs to Maria's room ignoring the few night shift nurses that tell him to not run, Benji's presence was very common in the hospital and most of the times he was running on the halls to leave to fight, it wasn't an odd sight anymore.

Benji enters on the quarantine room and seems Maria looking closer of death than ever. "For sure you took your time." Maria said in a half conscious state. "It was a hard fight." Benji replied locking the door behind him. "You are too serious, what happened?" Maria asked looking at him with some more attention; it was getting harder for her to stay awake.

"Your state." Benji answered walking to her. "I am one step away from the grave, well with one foot on it." Maria replied under her oxygen mask. "At least I won't be alone now."

"You won't die." Benji said while taking out his coat. "I am." Maria replied slowly closing her eyes because her tiredness. "You are not." Benji said now rolling up his right sleeve and taking out his watch. "I finally found what was lacking for you to get better."

His words barely reach Maria's mind as the sleep begins to win the battle against her awareness. "You are lacking spirit energy that is why you are feeling so tired and sleeping so much." Benji explained while pulling his butterfly knife from his belt. "The process of production of the vaccine allows my spirit energy to vanish from my blood, the air here is sterile even the spirit energy is gone, your illness is blocking your spirit energy from reaching your body that is why you are so ill."

Maria looks at him not really understanding what he is saying. "So you need an energy transfusion. At least that is my theory." Benji said opening the knife and slashing the almost empty IV plastic bottle open. "I might be wrong about this, but if I am wrong we will be sharing the trip."

Maria's mind registers with shock while Benji change the knife to his left hand and he raises his right arm and the knife. "I don't really recall everything because the fever but I remember that I was electrocuted by Peçonha in today's attack." Benji said approaching the knife to his right wrist. "It didn't harm me; actually it cleared my head and gave me energy so I think that I am with a decent level of spirit energy now."

Maria eyes go wide when everything begins to make sense to her mind, she tries to tell to him to stop, shout to him not do it that wasn't worth it, but no words came out from her mouth. The pain on her body and the exhaustion didn't allow her to do anything to prevent that.

"If you don't get better we both will die." Benji said with a sad smile. "We will walk down the path together; life or death will be all up to you. I guess that you was right in many insults I am a idiot." After those words Benji cuts open his wrist.

The blood that squirted from the cut hits the right side of Benji's face and because he ran all the way to the room some drops even hit Maria's face and pajamas. Maria's eyes go wide with horror and her mouth is open in a silent cry of terror. Benji drops the knife that nails itself on the floor, by the tip of the knife a small pool of blood begins to form.

"In the end this might be everything that I can do…" Benji said moving his bloody hand to the IV bottle and let's his blood freely fall on it mixing with the transparent remains of the IV. Maria tries to move her hand to press the button to call a nurse but even that she is unable to do.

In a horrified silence Maria sees the blood running down the transparent line to her veins, she wants to deny, she wants to believe that is just her imagination but she can feel the warmth of his blood while it begins to enter on her veins as if filling her with life.

In a short while the bottle is overflowing with blood and Benji lowers his wrist, the blood falls on the floor on thick streams and drops. "I am getting…too…used…" Benji murmured before falling on his knees. "To bleed…" "Raise your hand!" Maria tried to exclaim but came only as a whisper. "Get help!"

Benji smiles tiredly when hearing her voice. "I…hope that…it means…that…I …was…right…" Benji whispered with the pool of blood growing under him. "You can't die!" Maria said with her voice now a little louder. "Don't you dare to die! Not in front of me! Not for me!"

"For you isn't….such a bad…death…" Benji whispered feeling faint because the blood loss. He begins to fall back and to get unconscious, he never sees Maria leaving her bed and rushing to his side. "Don't die!" She shouted holding his right wrist with her right hand and supporting him with her left arm and her body. "Why the bleeding isn't stopping?!"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no..." Maria frantically whispered while beginning to despair at the fact that Benji's life is dissipating as she watches helplessly. "Not again…not again…I can't endure it again…DON'T DIE!!"

Benji slowly recovers his conscience feeling cold, his eyes slowly get adjust to the new light setting, it wasn't the dim moonlight from before but a cold bluish light surrounding him, with small white bluish specks falling down around him. A warm drop of liquid falls on his left cheek and is followed by another one. He looks up and says. "You are crying Maria?"

Maria is with her hair covering her eyes and lightly moving with an unearthly breeze replied. "No, I am not crying…" After a small pause she continued. "It is sweat…I am forcing myself too much by only freezing your inner right wrist…" Benji looks at his right wrist and sees her hand holding it tightly and the cut between her fingers covered with a thin layer of frozen blood.

"I believe in you…" Benji whispered tiredly. "No you don't…" Maria shot back not allowing him to see her face, using her hair as a barrier. "I am not seeing any tears…" Benji said gently moving her hair away from her face with his left hand and lightly tucking it behind her left ear.

"Idiot." Maria whispered now unable to hide the tears that fell from her eyes. "If you weren't dying I would beat you." "No you wouldn't." Benji replied trying to sound casually teasing her. "Why you didn't get help here now that you are better?" Benji asked after few moments of comfortable silence.

"I did when I managed to stop the bleeding, I called the nurses but they are not entering here." Maria said in a disgusted tone. "They are too afraid of being infected with something that isn't here anymore; they left us here to die. I am sure that the others don't even know about this…they wouldn't tell until we both died and they would come with an excuse that they found us dead."

"We will make the old man change the hospital of our health plan." Benji said casually. "This place lacks the care that we need when ill." "Whatever." Maria replied with a small smile. "At least the glory of saving our lives is only ours." "I don't do it for glory." Benji commented. "I know." Maria said looking at him. "Neither do I."

End of the chapter thirty four:

I want to thank everyone that is reading and that reviewed the story, I also want to thank to everyone that is just reading this story; even with out a review I can see your support on the hit count.

Extra scene

An unknown amount of time passed until someone arrived, it was the tsukigumi member in charge of guarding the room, see Benji and Maria on the ground with a pool of blood around them he rushes to get aid. After few minutes Benji is taken to another room to be treated.

Maria stays alone in her room, she had to admit that she was feeling much better than she was before, she pulls the knife from its resting place on the floor and closes the bloodied edge, her clothes are also soaked in slowly drying blood, the IV line have long stopped giving her the blood that Benji filled the bottle and she carefully removes the line, she knows that isn't needed anymore.

Maria stands up and for the first time in many weeks she feels refreshed and healthy. 'He was right after all.' She thinks while slowly moving around her room. 'I can feel my own energy now, as well his mixing with mine…it isn't longer his it is mine now as is the blood that once was his and now is mine….'

Maria looks down to herself and wonders what to do, it was the last set of pajamas that she had, at least that wasn't washing, she wanted to leave the room but if she leaves with large blood stains on her clothes it would cause much confusion, she looks around and finds the abandoned coat that Benji tossed on his chair when he arrived there.

Maria puts it on and is surprised with the weight. 'This must be at least three times heavier than my own coat.' She thinks running her hands on the torn coat, she can feel something hard under the layers of fabric covering the chest and the back, where the fabric is torn she can see a dull shine of metal and understands why it so heavy. 'This is armored…not only armored this is also damaged, he was shot, cut, burned and god knows what else while wearing this.'

She closes the coat and is about to leave the room when her bare feet hit something on the floor, she looks down and sees a something sparkling on the dim lights. Maria picks up and sees two small spheres of something transparent and red fused frozen when mixing together but not fully mixed.

"This can't be what I think that is…" Maria murmured understanding what could produce such spheres; it was two of her tears mixed with Benji's blood frozen by the cold spirit energy burst when she finally managed to stop the bleeding by freezing the cut.

Everything else had melted when she began to focus only on Benji's wrist, Maria can't think of those two small orbs as ice, it wasn't cool or slippery, deciding to think about it later she carefully wraps those two crystals on a napkin forgotten in one of her meals and hide it on her nightstand before she leaves the room by the front door by the first time since she arrived there.

'I think that I will need to train more when I get the leave…I feel that I got dull.' Maria thought while walking to a nearby surgery room, as she expected she finds Benji there being treated, two surgeons are carefully repairing his vein.

Oddly enough Benji is fully conscious and is looking away from the operation. Maria chuckled seeing the expression on his face contrasting with the one that he had when he slited his wrist in order to save her. The operation doesn't last long and the cut is stitched and bandaged.

"Man I so want to sleep now." Benji muttered while leaving the room, he was tired and bloodless and had one week worth of sleep to catch up. "You should consider yourself lucky in not being sleeping the eternal sleep." Maria said while he walked out of the room.

"I agree with that but I am still tired." Benji replied casually. "You should take that coat off, it is very dirty. I haven't time to send it to the cleaners in the past two days." "I am fine with it." Maria commented. "My pajamas are soaked with your blood, this at least cover it and make easier to walk around."

"I can solve the pajamas issue." Benji said before gesturing to a tsukigumi member, he quickly issue few orders and the agent leave. "What you ordered him to do?" Maria asked curious. "I told him to tell to Yu to fetch the emergency bag number two in the car." Benji answered casually. "Meaning a backpack with back up clothes that I stashed there this past week. I am also bloody and want to change. If you don't mind wearing something other than normal pajamas you can use some of the clothes there."

"As long the clothes are clean I think that I can endure that." Maria replied in a mock disgusted tone. "Want to grab something to eat?" Benji asked casually. "I don't know about you but I am hungry." "I think that I could use something to eat right now." Maria answered. "Then let's raid the kitchen." Benji added.

Maria nods and follows him to the kitchen; they ignore the comments and remarks about Benji's resistance or Maria's condition. "You will cook?" Maria asked sitting down in a chair, she defiantly was out of shape to be so tired with such small walk. "Not if I find what I am looking for." Benji replied opening the refrigerator. "And I did found it."

"What is it?" Maria asked curious while Benji takes from there a jar of something and something wrapped in tin foil. "Leftovers from a meal that one of my unit girls made." Benji answered placing the food on the table in front of Maria. "This is a nutritious vitamin of fruit and condensate milk, and this is beef sandwich." Benji explained unwrapping the sandwiches.

"There is more than just beef there." Maria commented seeing the sandwiches. "It has lettuce, onion, garlic, and some more energetic ingredients; I think that she even added ell here." Benji replied casually. "I was running down on blood and energy on the past week."

"Point taken." Maria said picking one of the sandwiches. "They aren't bad." Maria commented after eating a small bite of one." "I know, she cooks well." Benji commented while serving a glass of the vitamin for each one of them.


End file.
